When she opened up the door in my shirt, I’d had to stifle a smile. My chest might’ve puffed out a little, too. I took any and all scraps of hope where she was concerned.
I wanted to prove to her that I could be the man she’d always deserved, the one who loved her so much that she still haunted his damn dreams. Not the lost soul drowning so deep in grief that he’d checked out of his own life and had lost the best thing that ever happened to him.
“Hey.”
I turned toward Thea’s raspy voice. Her eyes were a little brighter as one side of her mouth curled up.
“The shower helped. I’m still wiped as hell but not quite as miserable.” She trudged over to where I was sitting on the couch and plopped down, tucking her legs under her.
“Of course it did. I’m always right.”
She rolled her eyes but the corners of her mouth twitched. “And humble.”
She sniffled and reached for a tissue on the end table before turning back to me. “Thank you.” She stared at the floor. “For all of this. I’ve been sick alone before, but at least my mother or one of my friends was around if I needed something. I’m a little isolated out here.”
“As long as I’m here, you aren’t isolated.” I dropped a hand to her pajama covered knee. “You just have to let me in.” I gave her a light squeeze and expected her to tense up and close off, but a smile played across her lips instead.
“I know that.” She coughed into her tissue. “You may not think so, but I let you in a lot more than I’d intended to when I came here. You make it almost impossible not to.”
I closed the tiny space between us and stretched my arm across the couch cushion behind her. “Lovably annoying is what you used to tell me, right?” My lips found the side of her temple. Her shoulders jerked with a chuckle before she leaned into me.
“And some things never change.” She lifted her head, and instead of uncertainty or pain, I glimpsed a little sparkle in her golden eyes.
Her eyes fluttered when I threaded my fingers through the damp and wavy strands of her hair.
“Do you feel up for eating a little more?”
She crinkled her red nose. “Some tea and a cookie would be amazing.” She leaned forward to stand, but I pulled her by the arm to sit back down.
“I’m here to serve you. Rest, and I’ll be right back.”
I rummaged through her cabinets and managed to find a kettle and a tea bag. When I came back into the living room, she was curled up against the arm of the couch.
I nudged her awake. “Drink some tea and then you can go back to sleep.”
She regarded me through hooded eyes and slowly sat up.
“I should have told you where the honey was in the cabinet.”
I gingerly placed the hot mug into her hands. “I brought you some. We have local honey delivered. It tastes better, and it helps with allergies.”
“Thought of everything. I always loved that about you.” She smiled around the rim of the mug.
“What’s that?”
“You were lovably annoying, yes, but,” she snickered and looked away for a moment, “but you were the most thoughtful person I ever knew.” Her smile turned sad before she took another tentative sip. “You have a big, beautiful heart.” She reached out and dragged a finger down the left side of my chest. “That’s what I’ve missed the most.”
I grabbed her hand and kissed across her knuckles. She didn’t have to miss my heart because she’d always had it. Even when I’d fucked up and lost her, it was hers for the rest of my life, whether she could accept it or not.
But that was too heavy of a confession for today.
She took three bites of the cookie before she set it back down on the plate.
“I think I need to lay down.”
She slowly pushed off the couch, and I followed, thinking this was going to be my cue to leave.
“Would you mind,” her eyes clenched shut. “Would you mind laying with me for a little bit? I know I’m not exactly fun but,” she trailed off.
