Page 114 of The Girl I Once Loved

As if I can hear him whispering in my ear, another memory comes to mind. One that we shared just before he left. My gaze falls to his nightstand and ever so slowly, as if I’m being pulled in its direction, I go to it and open his drawer, finding the velvet box he told me about. My hands shake as I pull it out and open it, revealing the diamond engagement ring once worn by his mother.

Tears stream down my face as I take it out of the box and put it on, wishing he was here to see me do it.

“Please, Noah. Come back to me,” I sob, sitting on his bed and staring at the ring that was always destined to be mine.

I fall back into his bed and hug his pillow, his summer scent still clinging to the fabric. Exhaustion finally has its way with me, as I cry myself to sleep, praying the next time I wake is to his beautiful face. And if not, then I’d rather not wake up at all.

* * *

“Sky…Sky…” I hear Noah softly call out, feeling his knuckles caress my cheek.

“Noah,” I say, half asleep, believing him a part of my dream.

“Wake up, baby,” he murmurs softly.

“Noah!” I’m suddenly jolted awake, my eyes scanning his face frantically, praying this isn’t some lucid dream, but that he’s really here beside me. “Oh my god!” I cry, lifting off the bed just enough to hug him. “You’re here! You’re alive.”

“Of course, I am. Why would you think—”

But I don’t let him finish, because my heart can’t take another second of not telling him how I feel.

“I love you! I love you so much, Noah. It hurts to breathe without you. I thought I lost you. I thought…I love you.”

“Woah there, little stalker. Why are you crying?” he says, bypassing my declaration of love just to continue to stare at my panicked state with worry in his eyes.

“You were supposed to be home two days ago, and when you didn’t…and the storm…” I start to stutter, knowing I’m probably not making any sense with how fast I’m talking.

“I’m okay, Sky. See? Alive and well. When we were alerted that a storm was brewing, I figured it would be safer to take the long way back and circle around it. That’s why I’m late. But I’m here, baby. I’m here.”

I hold onto his neck so tightly, I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m choking him a little.

“I was so scared, Noah. We had just found each other and I thought…well, I thought…”

Noah calmly pulls my arms from his neck just to place my hands against his beating heart so that I can see that he’s really here, and that nothing bad happened to him.

“I made a vow to you, remember?” he says ever so sweetly.

“A vow?” I sob, confused.

“Hmm.” He nods as he dries my tears from my face. “I promised you that you would have all my forevers, Sky. In this life and in the next, they would always be yours. Do you really think something as silly as death would ever keep me from you?” He shakes his head. “Nothing will ever come between us again, little stalker. Nothing.”

And as he begins to mend all the shattered fragments of my heart, Noah pulls my hands to his lips to kiss and finds his mother’s ring on my finger.

His gaze flies up to mine, a vast sea of hope swimming in his eyes like never before.

“You have my forevers too, Noah. You always have. Might as well make it official.”

The words have barely spilled out of my mouth before Noah crashes his lips urgently to mine, cupping my cheeks with such reverence that I’m left completely breathless.

Because when love is this real, forever can’t come soon enough.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Skylar

My phone rings, breaking the peaceful silence that has settled in the room. I glance at the caller ID, seeing Eliza's name flashing on the screen. With a grin, I pick up the call and answer, "It's been five minutes."

Eliza's laughter tinkles through the phone. "I know, I know," she admits, cackling. "I just couldn't wait any longer. I'm so excited for you, Skylar! Everything is coming together so perfectly. We've got the final edits lined up, and by the time you reach New Zealand in March, your book will be ready for your approval. You're going to be a published author, Skylar!"

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