Page 47 of The Next Of Us
“I have always love you,” she murmured against my temple, wrapping her arms around my shoulders.
Her reminder of the years between us ripped it off.
“I will always love you.”
But her promise lanced it.
“Nadine,” I rasped.
“It’s not your fault, baby.It’s not your fault.”
I breathed her in.My safe place.My love.My life.My reason for everything.
Her sweet scent that spelled home and family and safety filled the space in my lungs and reset the rhythm of my heart.
My breathing became deep and even, lulling me into a sleepy trance.
“You should have told me,” she murmured against my temple.
My voice rasped in my throat.“I didn’t deserve your forgiveness.”
“Baby,” she whispered.“It’s not mine you need.”
18
Fault Line
Aaron
Two weeks had passed since I confessed my failing to Nadine.Simply bringing it out into the open, sharing my fear with the one who knew and loved me best, lifted much of the guilt from my shoulders.
Since then, finally ready to work through what happened and move forward, I’d met with Max several times.I showed him the emails I received from Ryan’s mother, and confessed my relief that they had ceased along with my guilt over the situation and my growing anxiety over what Ryan’s current state might be.
I could now think about the situation without falling into a spiral of self-doubt and recrimination.Max and I went through Ryan’s file together, examining both my notes as well as his, and found no discrepancy.
Without being able to follow up with Ryan, I had to provide my own closure, accept Max’s explanation for what he believed happened.And hope Ryan found the help he needed through the hospital after his failed attempt.
I could breathe.
Even better, I’d regained some of the confidence I’d lost in treating my patients.
The hopes I had for Nadine’s and my future were beginning to take root.Every day, in some form or another, Nadine brought it up.Her newfound excitement thrilled me.Her eyes were alive and her smile bright.
I wasn’t out of the woods yet, but I could see the sunlight through the trees.And tonight, I was taking my wife on a date in town.
No more hiding at home with the curtains drawn tight.
I’d barely walked into the house when she came skipping down the stairs in black jeans, ankle boots, and a soft, off-the-shoulder sweater.
“Dini,” I gulped.“You look ravishing.”
“Well,” she blinked, freezing momentarily before barking out a surprised laugh, “I’ll look forward to being ravished then!”
“Deal!”I grinned.
Though Sage Ridge had grown some since we were kids, there still weren’t a ton of restaurants.However, you couldn’t make a bad choice.We chose a tiny Mediterranean place, not much more than a hole in the wall popular with locals that the tourists rarely stumbled across.
With room for only half a dozen tables, half of which were empty this early on a Thursday night, we had a cozy corner to ourselves.
