Evan pointed to his right shoulder, and then to her left. “We both have big bandages,” he said, struggling over the last word.
“Yep. We’re bandage twins.” She gave him a weak fist bump.
Evan bounced on his toes. “Are your feet cold? My dad said we could get you some socks.”
She laughed and met Jeff’s gaze, making his stomach tumble. “That would be nice of you. My feet arealways cold.”
His sweet face beamed and he stood taller.
Jeff knew that feeling. When Tara looked at you like that, you couldn’t help but feel on top of the world.
“I have to go back to my room soon,” Evan said, “but I’m supposed to get out today. I could come play games with you so you won’t be bored.”
Tara stroked the boy’s hair, her eyes shining. “I would love that. Although, fair warning,I’m not great at making Xs and Os with my right hand.”
“That’s okay,” Evan said. “I’m not great with my left.”
The corners of her mouth curled and her gaze shifted to Jeff, the question clear in her eyes.
What the hell was he waiting for?
He opened his mouth to say everything he’d been feeling, to tell her how much he loved her, that he wanted her no matter what they had to do to makeit happen, that he and Evan would be lucky to have her in their lives.
All that came out was, “Marry me.”
Maybe the meds had addled Tara’s brain, because she could have sworn Jeff just asked her to marry him. “What?” she said, heart ready to leap out of her chest.
He finally moved to her side, across from Evan, his hands hovering above her as if afraid to touch. Settling his fingertipslightly on her cheek, he said, “That’s not what I meant to say.”
Her whole body deflated. “Oh.”
“Not yet, anyway,” he said in a rush. “I wanted to tell you how much I love you. How scared I was that I was going to lose you. How mad I am that you”—he glanced at Evan and hesitated—“jumped in front of me.” His eyes flashed with an amalgam of emotions. “That I think what we have is worth fightingfor.”
Oh.
Her body warmed.Hedoeslove me.
His face was serious, his golden brown eyes earnest as he brushed her tangled hair out of her eyes. “But ‘marry me’ kind of sums it up nicely.”
“I love you,” she said, gripping his hand with her own and tugging him down so she could press a kiss to his soft lips. Closing her eyes, she savored the feel of his warm skin during the too-brief connection.
“Youguys,” Evan said.
They broke away with a shared laugh, Tara’s cheeks heating.
“I love you,” Jeff said softly as he straightened, his hand lingering on her uninjured shoulder. “I know we have a lot to talk about, a lot to figure out.” He eyed Evan with a hint of concern. “But Iamgoing to ask you again.”
Tara let out a long, slow breath, exhaling all of her demons and fears.So thisis what love feels like. Caring more for the other person than for yourself. Knowing you’d do anything to be with him. Not wanting to spend a second apart. Wanting him to be happy even if that happiness can’t include you.
Love was glorious and painful and she couldn’t regret a minute of the life that had brought her to this moment, no matter how hard. Jeff was worth it all.
“Spoiler alert,”Tara held his gaze. “I’m going to say yes.”
