I thought I was doing the right thing by backing away. Hearing he was miserable as Lake put it, made me feel sick to my stomach.
Before I could stop myself, I found myself blurting out my thoughts from in the bathroom earlier that day.
“I think I’m in love with him.”
All three women smiled at me.
“Well, what are you going to do about it?” my sister asked, and the other two ladies raised their brows in question as well.
I took a long, deep breath.
“I need to say I’m sorry and hope he wants me back.”
The three women raised their hands in triumph as Lake shouted, “It worked!”
Clearly they were amused and proud of themselves that their little intervention had worked. My kids would probably be happy the ladies had gotten through to me.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head as they giggled with glee.
The hard part was coming. I had a lot of groveling to do, secrets of my past to reveal, and confessions to make. Lake had said he was working so it would have to wait one more day.
I prayed it wasn’t too late and that he still wanted me after all I had to say and for backing out of his life with no explanation.
Because who was I kidding?
Even if part of me was still fractured from my past, Huntley had been healing my heart and soul, one piece at a time. And if he forgave me, I knew he’d keep right on doing that.
I didn’t think I loved him.
I loved him with everything that I was.
A little broken maybe, but not unrepairable.
I’d thought I was incapable of this type of love, but Huntley showed me otherwise.
Chapter Thirty
HUNTLEY
Fire lickedat me from all sides.
Through the roar of the flames and the debris falling down around me, I heard a faint cry for help. Pushing forward, with my buddy right behind me, we searched the burning two-story home for the mother and daughter trapped inside.
As we entered the upstairs, main bedroom, I heard someone call out again. After shoving open another door we found the woman and her child huddled together in the master bath, tears streaming down their fear-stricken faces. The mother had gotten towels wet and shoved them under the door to block out the smoke and also to cover their faces.
Even with her attempts to block out the smoke, they were coughing frantically. With no time to waste, my partner picked up the woman as I grabbed the young girl. With the towels still protecting their faces, we started to head back the way we had come.
Our visibility had become extremely difficult and I felt the inferno heating my skin even through my gear. Weworked our way toward the front door where the rest of our crew had their hoses battling the flames around us.
Through the haze of smoke, I glimpsed the door.We’re almost there.My buddy and the woman just ahead of me crossed the threshold to the open air when a loud noise above me caught my attention causing me to glance up.
One second I thought we were going to make it; the next, the roof collapsed around me. Something slammed into my head and knocked me, along with the child, to the ground. My world spun and I tried yelling for someone to help the girl but nothing came out.
I failed.
My last thought before the world went black was…
I hope River knows how much I love her.
