Page 110 of Meant to Be
He took her hand. “Why? It wasn’t your fault. In fact…” He frowned. “I messed up. If I was really thorough, I’d have looked at her. She was in both cities.”
“But who’d have thought? God. I can’t believe I didn’t see it. How could she have fooled me?”
He squeezed her hand. “It’s difficult, I know.”
She appreciated that he didn’t give her some line to help her feel better. He knew there was no easy way to rid feelings of guilt and stupidity.
“But, you need to screen your friends better.”
She pressed his hand to her face. “Maybe you can help me with that.”
“Syd?”
“Hmmm?” She wanted to crawl into the bed with him, hold him, and rest her head on his chest to listen to the beat of his heart.
“I can’t remember… maybe it was a dream. When I was shot, laying there, I wanted to tell you I love you.”
Sydney swallowed the lump in her throat. “It wasn’t a dream.”
“Did you say it back?”
God, she hoped he forgave her for not giving him the most important words at what could have been the end of his life. “I didn’t have time. So I’m going to say it now. I love you, Mitch.”
It seemed to take him a moment to register what she’d said. “Like friend love or love love?”
Giddiness bubbled. Maybe they had a chance, after all. “Love love.”
He brought her hand to his lips. “Me too. I’m going to mess up again, but it won’t be because I don’t trust you. It will be some other dumb reason. But consider the makeup sex we’ll have.”
“I’m counting on it.” Unable to wait a moment longer, she kissed him.
“Ah, Sydney.” His eyes closed, and a moment later, he was snoring.
Sydney smiled and watched as he slept. He was alive and he loved her. She couldn’t ask for more than that.
