“You don’t have to stay or make any kind of commitment to me. All I’m asking is to spend what little time we have lefttogether.”
I sat there, overwhelmed by everything and unable to speak. But my heart…it was racing in my chest. And my mind was spinning. Even after hearing everything, knowing the truth of who he was and all the pain he carried, all I wanted was to bask in his light and bloom.
“Promise me something.”
Forsythe held my hand. “Name it.”
“Promise me that if we spend the rest of my time here together, you’ll show me the real you. No more secrets. No more lies. Just the hard, honest truth.”
He nodded. “I promise, Lucille.” He leaned in close, his mouth hovering over mine, waiting. “Can I kiss you?”
I nodded and wrapped my arms around his neck as his mouth slammed into mine, knocking me onto my back as he tackled me onto the bed. I knocked his cowboy hat off and lost myself in his kisses, feeling my heart bloom as I held him close. And I didn’t want to let go.
“Forsythe?” He slowly pulled away and looked down at me. His hair was wild from wearing his hat and working all day. Seeing him reminded me of the feeling you get when you gaze up at a midnight sky filled with stars. “You’re beautiful,” I breathed.
He smiled and brushed the hair from my face. “Not nearly as beautiful as you, little viper.”
My cheeks burned with a feeling I hadn’t felt in such a long time.
“Will you stay with me tonight?” My fingers felt the scruff of his beard. “I don’t want to be alone.”
Forsythe leaned down and kissed my forehead. “I’ll stay with you as long as you want, Lucille.”
Chapter Eleven
Lucille
I waitedout in the hospital hallway for my mother and the nurses to bring Boone out from his room to go home. My head was leaning against the large glass window, and I found myself daydreaming, staring out into the cloudy sky, recalling every single thing from the night before and how Forsythe didn’t leave my side until the sun came up.
We spent hours talking, and during that conversation, he admitted that he was the one who paid for all of Boone’s medical expenses. I was shocked at first, begging him to let me pay him back, but he wouldn’t. Instead, he said it was simply his way of repaying our family for all we’d done for him. Of course, I cried over his kindness, swearing to find a way to pay him back. But he only laughed and held me close, saying spending the night with me was more than enough.
What an old softy.
I smiled at the thought.
“Loulou!” I spun around at my brother’s voice. He was dressed and in his wheelchair with my mother at his side. And he was wearing the biggest smile.
“Boone!” I ran to him and gave him a hug, careful with his freshly healed injuries. “Oh, I’m so happy I got to be here to seethis!” Tears of joy rolled down my face as I embraced him. “I love you, kiddo.”
Boone squeezed me tight. “Thank you for everything, Lucille. I don’t know if I could’ve done this without you.”
I stepped back to find our mother crying at our heartfelt moment. “Oh, my babies!” She hugged us tight and we both laughed at her dramatics. “Your daddy would be so proud of y’all!”
Yeah, I think he would.
“Alright!” My mother jolted back and clapped her hands together. “Who’s ready to head home?” Boone hooted loudly. “Oh just you wait, baby! I got everything all set up. There’s cobbler, fresh lemonade…oh! And Cooper and the guys even built you a ramp on that old porch!”
“I can’t wait to see everyone. Oh, how’s Wimberly?” he asked me.
“She’s good. Forsythe’s been taking great care of her, but the minute she sees you, she’s going to lose it.”
He grinned at the thought. “I really owe him one. For everything.” I nodded as my mother pushed the wheelchair and headed down the hall towards the elevator.
If anyone owes him, it’s me. He’s taken care of all you guys all these years, without asking for a thing in return.
“Lucille Limmerick, let’s go!” My mother playfully shouted my name across the hospital as she and Boone entered the elevator.
Maybe I should stay…just a little longer.
