Page 96 of Tango
“Like I said, I travel a lot. Going where I’m needed.” He turns toward me. “But I don’t get the sense you’re going to need me anymore. I’ll continue to pray for you, Alice Sterling, and for your future. I imagine God has great things in store for you.” He pushes to his feet, so I do the same. “Keep your eye on the future, and follow where He leads.”
“Always. I— Wait, I never told you my last name.”
Samuel simply smiles. “Goodbye, Alice.”
“Goodbye.”
With a smile still on his face, he turns and begins walking back toward the trees. I lose sight of him near the edge of the cemetery where the path curves behind the chapel.
Tears fill my eyes, and I wrap my arms around myself. “Thank You, God. Thank You.”
Chapter 33
Tucker
“Come on, Lani. I don’t need to be babysat.”
“Oh, stop complaining. We’re not stopping by for long. I just need to grab a few things before dinner.”
“Fine. But why can’t I wait in the car?” I ask as we climb the steps up to her apartment.
“Because then I wouldn’t have the pleasure of your company while I looked for the perfect shade of lipstick.”
I roll my eyes but grin. Lani’s been practically glued to my side since they released me from the hospital and we flew back home. Up until yesterday afternoon, she was even staying in my guest room. Between her taking care of me, my mom bringing me every meal, and my brothers dropping in from time to time, I haven’t had any time at all to think.
To process the fact that the woman I love is living clear across the country from me, and I haven’t even had the chance to tell her exactly how I feel. It’s wild that I faced down death—literally—yet I’m terrified of saying three little words.
“Here we are.” She stops in front of a door.
“Wait—” I look down the hall, then back at the stairs. “This isn’t your place.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your apartment is there,” I point to the next door over. “This is too close to the stairs.”
Lani rolls her eyes and slides the key into the lock. “You need a hobby.” She shoves open the door then steps away to mess with her purse. “Can you hit the lights for me?”
“I know this isn’t your apartment, Lani. What—” I flip on the lights and lose my breath.
Alice is standing just inside, wearing an off-white summer dress, her dark hair curled and loose around her face. She smiles. “Hey there, MadCode.”
“I— What are you doing here?” I step into the apartment. It’s empty of all the furniture with only a suitcase and her purse in the center of it.
Her expression falters just a bit, and I realize what I said sounded a whole lot like I’m not happy for her to be here.
I smile, letting all the joy I feel show in my expression. “You’re here.”
“They offered me the director job at Web Safe, which got me thinking.” She takes a step closer.
“Oh?”
“Should I take what would have been my dream job or follow where my soul is pulling me? Where I feel God guiding me.”
“Which brought you here.”
“To you.” Alice takes another step closer. “I don’t know what the future holds for us, Tucker Hunt, but I know that I really don’t want to do it without you.”
I’m speechless. Am I even breathing?
