“But you didn’t end it?”
“I don’t think so?” Had she? Panic that he might think she wanted to end things made her edgy. “I don’t want it to be over, but I need to know he’s with me for me and not because I’m part of a package deal.”
“Then tell him everything you told me and talk to him about it. When are you supposed to talk again?”
“He’s said he’d call when he got back from his mission.”
“Don’t let your doubts get in the way of what could be the best thing in your life.”
“When did you get so smart?” she asked.
Gilly grinned. “Round about twelve.” She rubbed belly and tilted her head. “I watched him with you, when he was here.”
Her fear tried to wiggle its way back up into her chest. “And?”
“If I was a betting woman, I’d say you’re it for him.”
“I think he’s it for me, too.”
“I hear abut.”
Taking a deep breath, Emme grabbed her greatest fear and shoved it out in the open. “What if it was the circumstances? Hero rescues damsel in distress and they have sex because of all the adrenaline and relief to be alive?
“Then I don’t think you guys would have been video chatting every night for the past two weeks.” She drummed her fingers on her belly. “Tell you what. If I’m wrong, I’ll name my daughter Emerald.”
Emme laughed and brushed away an errant tear. “That’s a pretty bold wager. Don’t think I won’t hold you to that.”
Gilly winked. “You won’t have to.”
Emme blinked awake and looked at the red digital numbers on the clock next to her bed. Four-thirteen a.m. Pulling a hand from under the pillow, she activated the control pad on her laptop. The video chat website was still open on the screen — with no notification of a missed call.
It doesn’t mean anything. You’ve gone longer than two days without talking to him. He could still be on a mission. The internet could be down—it’s happened before. Give him a chance.
The pep talk didn’t talk. Every night she went to bed staring at the screen of her laptop and woke up five or six times throughout the night to check it.
An ache formed in the center of her heart. The more time went by, the bigger the ache got. Like a hole in fabric that kept getting bigger and bigger.
She sniffled and buried her head in the pillow, tears pooling under her cheek.
Please don’t let it be too late.
