Page 42 of With You Forever

At the island, she refills her glass with champagne, but she doesn’t drink it, only watches the bubbles climb to the top. Feeling faint, she presses a hand against the cool marble to collect her whirlwind of thoughts.

What if it’s worse than the doctor thinks? Oh God. What if they open her up and it’s spread?

She chugs the champagne in one quick gulp.

A burst of laughter has her looking over. The bright, laughing faces of her friends have her feelings welling bitterly. Everyone’s so healthy and happy and she has a ticking bomb inside of her. Her eyes drop to Emmy Lou’s stomach.

What if she can’t have kids?

Ever.

And what if Seth realizes he wants them? She’d be denying him that.

Her eyes move to Seth, bickering with Luke.

What even is their future? Seth watching her get sick? Seth marrying some half-life version of herself isn’t what Lacey wants for him. It isn’t what she wants for herself.

Worse, what if he regrets it?

What if he leaves?

Her thoughts, her world spins until she goes dizzy.

Only it’s not the champagne that has her head swimming. It’s doubt. Despair.

Will she be here? In a year, in five, will she be here?

A tear slips down her cheek. She should do the right thing.

Wait on the wedding. Give Seth an out. For his own sake.

Before it’s too late.

Lacey stands still, eyes closed, barely breathing, when she realizes the laughter, the conversation’s stopped.

“Lace?” Sal’s voice is gentle.

Then, a warm hand on the small of her back. Seth stands tall over her, shielding her from the worried stares of the room.

“One day,” he says, so much love in his eyes it leaves her breathless. “This is just one day, ain’t it, princess?”

“Yes,” she whispers. Her hands wrap around his broad shoulders.

His blue eyes search her face, then, reading her better than anyone ever has, he nods. “Let’s go home.”

She starts to tell him yes, but before she can, her legs give out.

“I got you.” Seth’s voice is soft and then he’s there, picking her up in his arms.

Clinging to him, Lacey keeps her face burrowed in the curve of his neck. All she hears is the sound of his hard bootsteps over the floorboards, his rumble of a goodbye and murmured whispers from their friends, as he strides for the front door.

Then—the sensation of bright light turning to night, a frosty chill causing her to tremble. But she doesn’t care.

She’s in Seth’s arms and for now, that’s good enough.

It’s two a.m. by the time Lacey and Seth go to bed.

Seth sits and watches as she changes into a pale pink sleep shirt, love and worry warring in his ocean-blue eyes.

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