He reaches into the pocket of his jeans and pulls out a folded paper. I watch curiously.
When he shows it to me, it’s Kane’s tiny feet… embellished with small wings and some numbers… the date of Kane’s birth. My heart gives a kick against my ribs. “What is that?”
“It’s a tattoo I’m going to get.”
I lift my gaze to his face. “Really?”
“Yeah.” He clears his throat. “I… I got something for you. And I wanted to have something myself, so I decided to get a tattoo. I just have to wait until the season’s over.”
I pause a beat. “What did you get for me?”
“It’s in our room. Be right back.”
I sit in my pink chair and wait for him, my pulse picking up speed. What could it be?
He returns with a small, flat box that looks like jewelry. He gets down on his knees in front of me and hands it to me, then waits while I open it. Inside is a delicate gold chain necklace with a charm on it. I pick it up to study it. It’s round and clear, with small pressed flowers inside it, blue and white.
I look up at Carson.
“It’s baby’s breath,” he says, voice low. “And forget-me-nots.”
I drop my gaze back to the charm. Forget-me-nots. Baby’s breath.Oh.
My vision blurs and my heart expands into my throat. I let my hair fall over my face as I blink back tears.
“Hey.” He reaches out to tip my chin up with the backs of his fingers.
I sniff and swipe fingertips under my eyes. “I love it,” I choke out. “Help me put it on.”
He fingers the small clasp and fastens it behind my neck.
Then I slide off my chair and onto his lap, sitting on the floor. I wrap my arms around him and hug him tightly. “I love it.” My voice is still thick. “And I love you.”
“I know you don’t want to forget him. And I know you won’t.”
“Thank you.”
“I know I can’t save people,” he murmurs near my ear. “I can only love them. I’ll love Kane forever. And I’ll love you forever.”
EPILOGUE
CARSON
“I love weddings.”
Ayla’s in front of the full-length mirror in our hotel room at the Four Seasons in Philadelphia, checking out her reflection. She’s wearing the pink dress again and she looks beautiful. I move up behind her, set my hands on her waist, and bend to kiss her bare shoulder. “Maybe we should get married again.”
She laughs, then meets my eyes in the mirror. “What, really?”
“Maybe.” I shrug, smiling. “If you love weddings, let’s have another one.”
She turns into my arms and lays her palms on my chest. “I don’t love them that much. Organizing one was enough for me. And we’re married. We don’t need another one.”
“I just want to make sure you’re mine.”
“I’m yours.” She lifts an eyebrow. “So you want to lock me up.”
“Mmm. Lock you in, maybe. Not up. Unless you want to be locked up, like with?—”
