Page 94 of Anything for You
My heart cracks at the tone of her voice. At the memory of knowing that moving on is inevitable. I can’t tell her yet that she most likely won’t be leaving, so I tell her the truest thing I can.
“You know Emma and I both love you, right?”
Maddy nods, finally making eye contact with me.
“So do Rachel and Steven and all of our friends. No matter what happens, we will always be family to each other.”
“Promise?” Maddy’s lower lip trembles, and the hope in her tone has my heart breaking clean through.
“I promise, Little Red.”
She turns and wraps her arms around my waist, and I hold onto her, another piece of me sliding into place at this lost little girl who is not so lost anymore and the ferocity I feel to keep her forever. To be her person who stays.
When Maddy lets go, I crouch down so I’m eye level with her.
“Everything for the tacos is done and Emma should be home soon. Want to help me set up a surprise for her?”
“Yes! What’s the surprise?”
“It’s easier if I show you. The first thing I need you to do is help me get as many pillows and blankets as you can find, and bring them to the living room. Can you do that?
Maddy nods seriously, eyes wide. “Definitely.”
Half an hour later, the living room is covered in blankets and pillows, dinner is set up on the coffee table, and Maddy is bouncing around inside what is a pretty impressive blanket fort if I do say so myself. I’m just setting down a tray of drinks when the front door opens.
“Emma’s home!” Maddy jumps up and runs into the foyer. I stay in the living room, listening to their reunion.
“Maddy! Sorry I’m home a little late. Did you and Jeremy have fun?”
“So much fun! He bought me knives so I could be a chef, and we made dinner, and we have a surprise!”
“A surprise, huh?”
“Yes! Come into the living room so I can show you!”
“You got it, girl. Lead the way.”
When Emma walks into the living room she stops short, taking in the scene. When her eyes meet mine, the look on her face has butterflies swarming in my stomach and my heart stuttering. I could live a thousand lifetimes, and I will never forget the way she looks right now. Red hair tumbled and damp from the rain, bright blue dress that hugs every single curve, and heels that make me want to run my hands up her spectacularlegs. And her face. God, her face. Mouth set in a soft smile, green eyes fixed on me, bright and glossy with unshed tears and an emotion that has my heart thudding against my ribs as if it’s trying to leap out of my chest and right into her hands.
I knew I loved Emma. I’ve known for a while. But it’s only in this moment that I realize how deep it goes. It’s the soul-deep, earth-shattering kind of love. The kind of love that changes lives and hearts and futures. The kind of love I never thought would be mine but is here, standing in front of me, in a living room full of pillows and blankets and tacos and an excited seven-year-old on a rainy fall night. It’s not at all how I imagined it, but it’s better than I ever could have dreamed. Now to grab onto it and find the courage and trust to never let go.
I run a hand down my face and try to rein in my emotions.
“You made us a blanket fort.”
“Isn’t it cool?” Maddy’s voice is high-pitched with excitement.
“It’s the coolest.” Emma speaks to Maddy, but her eyes stay on me.
I grin at her. “I remember you told me it was something you used to do with your parents, and I assumed you hadn’t made one in a while. I thought Maddy would like it. We’re watchingHarry Potterbecause I promised her we could watch the first movie after we finished the book. I know you used to eat pizza with your blanket forts, but Maddy got to decide what was for dinner and she chose tacos, so I thought maybe we could make a new tradition. One that was ours. I know you usually like to take some quiet time at the end of the day, but I was hoping maybe you could make an exception for movie night.”
Emma crosses the room, and her arms around my waist halt my nervous rambling. When I wrap my arms around her shoulders and press a kiss to the top of her head, everythinginside me settles and my word rights itself again. She leans up, kissing my cheek and bringing her mouth to my ear.
“Thank you,” she whispers. “For remembering and for giving me back this memory. I love it so much. This is the best thing anyone has ever done for me. I don’t need quiet time. I only need you.”
“Anything for you,” I whisper back, my heart thudding at her words. “Anything for both of you. All I want is to make you and Maddy happy. The two of you are my world.”
I lean back and put a hand on her cheek, pressing a soft kiss to her lips, and I feel her sigh into my mouth.
