Page 164 of Need You Now

Lacey sits in a church pew of the hospital chapel, watching the candles flicker. It’s dim and empty inside. A quiet respite away from the harsh hospital lights. She’s grateful to Seth. She felt like imploding and he got her out of there before she broke down completely. All she could think about was the blood. So much blood this last month. Her blood, Sal’s blood, God forbid, the baby’s.

Wiping her face, she watches as Seth settles beside her. “I didn’t know you went to church,” she says.

He laughs. “I don’t. Hell, Luke and I haven’t been back since we were kids. He had the bright idea of tryin’ to vault the church pews every Sunday mornin’.”

She arcs a brow. “Uh-huh. I’m sure that was Luke’s idea.” Seth chuckles. Then she clears her throat. “Thank you. For coming when I needed you.”

His gaze jumps to hers. “You’re welcome.”

“I just want them to be okay.” Tears swim in her eyes at the memory of Sal’s anguished face in her mind.

“I know. I do too.”

Seth’s deep rumble hangs heavy between them. It’s then that Lacey takes a closer look at him. His handsome face is tired. He’s still in yesterday’s clothes. And then she sniffs. Her nose wrinkles, as she says, “You smell like alcohol.”

“What can I say? Was cryin’ in my beer this mornin’.”

Lacey sighs. She straightens up, gathering strength. “I owe you an apology, Seth.”

He shakes his head. “You don’t, though.”

“I do. I never meant to hurt you. Ever.” She looks down, ashamed. “I’ve spent my whole life avoiding things, not taking risks. When Colin offered me that job, the first time, I turned it down. But when things got hard, I panicked. I saw a way out. A way not to get hurt, and I took it.” She shakes her head. “It seemed so easy to go back to the job I knew, instead of starting something new with you.”

“I know,” Seth says, and she looks up, blinking in surprise. “I spent last night thinkin’ you didn’t love me, or maybe it was all bullshit between us—”

“Seth, no,” she whispers, hating that he thought that.

“But this mornin’ I realized that what you were doing was protectin’ yourself. I didn’t give you much of a chance to explain.” Seth shifts, and so does Lacey, their bodies turning toward each other as if on instinct. Their hands automatically finding each other’s. “I acted like an asshole and I’m so damn sorry, Lace.”

“We both acted like assholes.” She pulls his hand into her lap, squeezing it.

“And I’m the one who’s sorry,” she says, frustration entering her tone. “I got scared. I have a bad habit of running away when life gets too close. I worry too much and that’s my fault. I can’t use you to reassure me all the time.”

A fierce look crosses his face. “But you should have. Hell, this is all new for you, Lace. Nashville is new. I shoulda been there more for you than I was.”

A tear slips down her face. “No, you have a career.”

“And you got one too. I coulda compromised.” He runs a thumb over her knuckles. His voice turns tender. “I ain’t perfect, Lace, I know that, but I wanna be a good man for you.”

“You are, Seth. You’re perfect for me. I’m the one who’s a gigantic mess. I don’t even know where I’m going or what I’m doing,” she says hotly, glancing away at the flickering candles. She sweeps a hand over the tears running down her cheeks. “I don’t even know why you put up with me.”

“Look at me,” Seth says in a soft voice. Gently, he tilts her chin up to stare her in the eyes. “I love you, Lacey. I love your dumb, gorgeous face and I can’t imagine my world without you in it. Hell, I can’t stand bein’ without you.”

A sob-laugh bursts out of her, warmth glowing inside her chest like a million fluttering fireflies.

Reaching out, he swipes away a tear from her cheek with his thumb. “I don’t care if we gotta do this thing long distance or if I have to move to Los Angeles or if we shack up on goddamn Jupiter. I want to do it. I want you.”

She lifts her eyes, staring at him beneath lowered eyelashes. Her heart like a drumbeat inside her chest. “I love you too,” she says, and Seth closes his eyes, relief and hope etched across his features. “I still want us. I want our chance. Even if you are excruciatingly annoying.”

Seth’s laugh tumbles out of him in a bright burst of joy.

And then he’s pulling her into his arms, cupping her face and lowering his lips to hers. A quiet heat between them, a trembling of hands, of words. “I love you,” Seth whispers, and Lacey curls her arms around his neck, keeping him close, savoring Seth finally back in her arms.

When they pull away, she curls up against Seth’s chest. A shaky sigh whooshes out of him, his lean body untensing. His relief, his love, so powerful that she closes her eyes against the rush of emotions.

They stay there like that in the soft flicker of the candlelight until Seth kisses her brow.

“What about your job?” he asks, his voice soft.

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