Darrell’s wasa tiny little breakfast shop, perched on a hillside, in Michael’s neighborhood. It was pouring when we arrived, and by the looks of it, the place was busy. Michael grabbed the umbrella and opened my door for me, and together, we hurried to the entrance.
“Breakfast for two,” Michael said.
The hostess led us into the one-room breakfast diner. With the entire back wall removed and replaced with sliding glass doors, we could see down the grassy hillside and all of the city from up here. The doors were cracked open, the sound of rain pattering against the ground outside filling my ears.
I sat in a seat across from Michael and gazed out the doors, smiling. “I already know what I want.”
As if she’d overheard me, a waitress appeared at our table with a big smile and some water with lemon.
“Can I have pancakes with a side of oranges, please?”
The waitress turned toward Michael. “Number three,” he said, handing her our menus. When she disappeared behind the counter, Michael raised a brow at me. “Oranges?”
“I’ve been craving them lately,” I said, cheeks turning pink.
I grabbed his hands from across the table and sighed to myself. After last night, I felt so much better about us. We’d needed that talk, and we’d needed it bad. At least, I had.
For once in a long time, I didn’t feel any awkwardness or anxiety being out with Michael. I wasn’t ashamed of him by any means. He was smart, mature, good-looking, had his life together—everything I’d ever wanted in a man. But the stares were what got me.
I didn’t know what it was, but I felt better than I had ever felt in my entire life.
I stared at him and kicked my legs back and forth, interlocking our fingers.
“Not afraid to be seen with me today?” he asked.
“I’m never afraid to be seen with you,” I said, touching my fingers to his knuckles. “I just don’t like the stares …” I scooted closer to him, still feeling those butterflies inside of me. “Butfuck them.”
“Fuck them?” Michael chuckled.
I curled my fingers around the collar of his shirt and pulled him toward me. “Fuck them. I want you.”
I pressed my lips on his and kissed him long and hard, giving him all I had. Not caring if people were staring. Not caring that this might not look right to some people. Caring only about Michael, only about us.
When I pulled away, I rested my forehead against his. “I’m sorry for being so annoying and insecure lately. I don’t want you to feel bad about this, because I really love you. I’m going to try to not let my insecurities get in the way.”
After a few moments, Michael sipped on his water. “I accept your apology on one condition.”
“And what’s that?”
“You tell me when you fell in love with me,” he said.
My heart felt all warm and fuzzy, a grin breaking out on my face. I hadn’t gotten a chance to tell him last night. After we’d talked, I had fallen face-first into our mattress and into a deep sleep.
I squeezed his hands tighter. “I fell in love with you every time you showed up at the hospital. Every night you were there, you brought me dinner, and asked me how I was, and made me smile, and told me that you’d be there for me, no matter how difficult it got.” I leaned across the table and trailed my thumb across his stubble. “It wasn’t a moment. It was your support, your love, your heart … you.”
CHAPTER21
MIA
“Mia,” Dr. Xiao said after class on Monday.
I pushed my books into my backpack and smiled at her.
She waited for the last few students to leave the class and rubbed my shoulder. “How’s everything going? Your mother?”
“I’m going to see her tonight with one of my friends. She’s still struggling with making new memories, but at least she’s alive and healthier now.”
“And Michael?”
