“Why?” she asks, her tears subsiding.
I’m not scared or hesitant anymore. I realize now that you should never hold back on what you feel in your heart.
So, with a smile, I tell her, “Because I love you.”
She blinks twice. “You do?”
Chuckling, I reiterate, “I sure do. I love you with all of my heart.”
She reaches up and touches my face. “Shane, I love you too. So freaking much.”
I have to say, even with all of this going on, my heart soars.
Softly, I mutter, “Babe.”
Sighing and lowering her hand, she says, “There is one thing, though.”
“What’s that?” I ask.
“I wanted to say it first. I was going to tell you today once I got home. I decided that earlier here at the lighthouse.” She frowns. “Before I fell, that is.”
With a smile, I tell her, “It doesn’t matter who said it first. As long as we finally got it out there, right?”
She smiles back at me. “Yes, you’re right.”
A siren blares in the background, inching closer and closer. “That must be the ambulance,” I say.
With a pout, Willa asks, “Do I really have to go to the hospital? I mean, I feel much better now, especially since I know you love me.”
“I do, and that’s sweet, but absolutely, yes, you have to go. You need to be checked out, Willa. You were clearly knocked out for a while, so I’m sure you have a concussion.”
“Okay.” She nods once. “You’re right. It’s better to be safe than sorry.”
“For sure.”
I have to stand up then, as two paramedics need to get in to secure Willa to a stretcher. It’s such a tight squeeze that I’m asked to step outside and wait there. Still, I make sure to pick up her phone from the floor before I leave the lighthouse.
When they bring Willa out, she grabs my hand, making them stop. “Can you come with me?” she asks.
“Sir, not in the ambulance,” one paramedic says. “There’s not enough room. You can follow us to the hospital, though, if you’d like.”
If I’d like?
Are they kidding?
I’m going wherever my girl is going, damn it.
I don’t say all of that to them, though. I just agree to follow.
Willa lets go of my hand, and I tell her, “I’ll see you at the hospital, okay? I’ll be right behind you.”
“All right.”
She’s loaded into the ambulance, and I get into my Jeep.
Then we’re off.
On the way to the hospital, the paramedics check me over and ask a lot of questions. I’m sure this is all to assess my condition. They also place an ice pack on the back of my head, where there’s a small knot.
