“We spend the day with our little boy, and we figure out the rest some other time.” Tate reached for his phone. “I want to show you something.”
“Okay…”
“I wasn’t going to show this to you. But after tonight, I want you to read it.”
“What is it?”
“You know how you left me that letter back at the resort…”
I nodded. “Of course.”
“Well, I’ve always regretted not writing you something that day, too. I couldn’t gather my thoughts fast enough to do it before you left, but Idideventually write you back.”
My heart fluttered. “You did?”
His mouth curved into a smile. “I wrote an email to myself, just to get the thoughts out. I would’ve written on paper, but my penmanship sucks. Nicholas probably hasbetter handwriting than I do.” He scrolled through his email. “Anyway, would you want to read it?”
The butterflies in my belly came alive. “Of course.”
He handed me his phone.
Dear Blair,
I don’t know if this message will ever reach you. But I still feel the need to write it.
It’s been one year since I’ve seen your beautiful face in person. One year since I’ve gotten lost inside of you. And one year since you walked out of the resort with my heart.
We had less than a handful of days together, but each and every one of them meant more to me than all of the other days of my life combined.
Every day for a year, I’ve hoped I might hear from you.
I have to believe you have a damn good reason for not contacting me. As each day passes, I’ve come to terms with the fact that I may never see or hear from you again.
Though you’re not around physically, I want you to know that I have felt you. I’ve felt you when I’ve looked up at the moon, I’ve felt you on a gentle breeze or a hint of a stranger’s blonde hair. Most of all, I’ve felt you in my dreams, where you make appearances often.
When we left each other, I didn’t have the bandwidth to string words together in a meaningfulway. I chose to spend each and every waking moment with you instead. Now I have the benefit of hindsight and lots more time to articulate things, and yet, I still struggle to put into words the way you made me feel. Except to say this: You taught me how to love in a way I didn’t understand before.
While I still long for you every day, you’ve left me a better man, even in your absence. I just wish I could’ve told you how much you meant to me before we went our separate ways.
All this to say, I love you, too, Blair. So much. And I will never forget you.
Love always,
Tate
My eyes watered. “This is beautiful.” I looked at the date that he’d emailed this to himself. It was indeed a year after we’d left each other. I’d made the right decision in following my gut and coming back here tonight.
“When I wrote that message, I never dreamed I’d be in this place with you. I certainly never dreamed you were out there somewhere holding my baby.” His eyes glistened.
I squeezed his hand. “You said there were times you could feel me. I wonder if one of those times was the moment he was born.”
“It’s possible.” He smiled. “You know, tonight when I was giving Nicholas his bath, he looked at me and asked, ‘Who are you?’ I feel like he senses something, even if he doesn’t fully understand.”
“Wow.” I smiled. “I wouldn’t doubt it. A biological bond is a real thing.”
Tate nuzzled my neck. “What time does he normally wake up?”
“He’s a pretty sound sleeper, but he’s usually up by seven AM.”
