The truth leaves me trembling, but also steadies me. Her hands are on my face then, cupping my jaw. “I love you too,” she breathes out, the words tumbling over themselves. “I never want distance or silence between us. I only need us, however messy or hard it will be once we get back to our everyday lives.”
Her voice cracks on the last word and it undoes me. My knees are weak and my heart’s racing like I’m back on the ice. I yank her closer until her body is flush against mine, her chest rising and falling with quick, shallow breaths.
When our lips meet, it’s like coming home. Her mouth moves against mine with a tenderness that splits me wide open, reminding me of everything I have missed about her. My hand slides into her hair, the silkiness of it tangling around my fingers, and I kiss her again, memorizing the curve of her lips.
The world shrinks down to the brush of her nose against mine, the sound of her soft gasps, and her addicting scent wrapping around me. Weeks of longing press into this one moment, sealing the cracks left behind by the silence.
I pull back, enough to breathe against her mouth. “Let’s not waste another second.”
“Never again.”
“Now what?” I ask, my thumb tracing the curve of her cheek lovingly.
“We’ll have dinner with my family and your uncle, who I loved finally meeting earlier. Then come back to enjoy each other’s company.”
“What about the future?”
“We’ll take it one day at a time. When’s your surgery? Do you know yet?”
“Next Friday,” I mumble, the words heavy in my chest. I don’t want to think about the operation right now, not when we’re finally reunited.
“Teddy, that’s huge! Why didn’t you start with that?” she playfully pushes at my chest.
A hollow chuckle escapes me. “Because I wanted today to be about us. Not my diagnosis or the surgery. For once, I needed something that didn’t feel like a part of a hospital chart or a countdown.”
“That makes sense,” she teases, her smile audible in her voice. “But I would prefer it if you shared any important updates sooner in the future.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
I tilt her chin up and bring her mouth to mine again. The connection is deep as I savor her sweetness I’ve been aching for since the day she left. Her lips soften under mine, and the world tilts back into place.
I rest my forehead against hers as the kiss breaks. “Whatever happens in that operating room,” I whisper, voice rough with promise, “the only thing I’m sure of is that I want you by my side when I wake up.”
“You can count on it, Theodore.”
There’s no other way to describe what her presence does for my soul and entire being. She’s my missing puzzle piece.
The restaurant the Campbells picked for the celebratory dinner is loud and busy. Ivy’s fingers stay curled around mine, and Uncle Jake is behind me, as we’re guided through the space, weaving around tables and uneven floors.
When we stop, chairs scrape the floor. “Good to finally meet you, Teddy,” a man introduces himself, voice deep and steady. “I’m Tom. Ivy’s dad.”
I nod and offer my hand. “Nice to meet you, sir.”
“Please call me Tom. I hate all that sir crap.”
“I could call you sir anytime, husband,” a woman teases him warmly. “I’m Nella, Ivy’s mom, by the way.”
“Lovely to meet you, Nella,” I say, already liking the positive vibes radiating off her.
“Hey, Teddy. I’m Max,” another masculine voice greets me from the right, steady and confident. “The older brother. I’m glad to see you up and about.”
I angle my head toward him, offering a small smile as my hand finds his in a firm shake. “Thanks. Good to meet you, Max. Congrats on your win.”
“Thank you. Damn, I can’t believetheTeddy Seabornknows who I am,” he replies, excitement bubbling in his tone. It reminds me of when I first met Ivy—how she tried to play it cool but couldn’t quite hide the awe in her voice.
“I’ve never seen you so flustered, bro,” Ivy teases. “Stop fangirling.”
“Like you’re one to talk,” I mumble jokingly.
