I set the milk carton and freshly brewed cup of coffee on the counter for her, then popped another K-cup into the machine for my own mug.
“Would you believe when I first started drinking coffee, the only way I could get it down was with four creams, four sugars.”
“Jesus, girl, that’s a damn donut in a cup.” I laughed.
“Desperate times, desperate measures, I tell ya, but yes, it wasn’t exactly healthy. I’m proud to say I’m down to only two creams now.”
“Attagirl!” I beamed. “Still, I never thought I’d see the day.”
Heck, I never thought there’d ever be a day when she was in my kitchen. So close and tangible.
“You and me both,” she echoed, but I wasn’t sure if she was talking about her finally drinking coffee or sharing one with me.
I got to work cracking and beating the eggs; most of the vegetables were pre-chopped and in containers, as I tried to partially meal-prep to make things faster for me when I got home from a shift.
“So back to this lack of furniture thing you’ve got going on.”
It hadn’t been an issue for me until now, and while it was less than ideal when it came to having a guest, it also gave me another excuse to put my hands on her.
Grabbing a dishcloth off the counter, I wiped my hands before I stepped away from the island, picked her up by her hips, and deposited her on the counter. Her breath hitched, eliciting a smirk to pull at the corners of my lips as I loved the look of her perched on my kitchen counter way too fucking much.
“Sorry about the lack of seating,” I said, leaning my hands on the quartz on either side of her legs.
Her gorgeous, bare legs.
“Jaxon, I?—”
“Nuh-uh. Lils, I can practically see your mind retreating. Hell, I can feel it.”
Her hands timidly covered mine. “This is . . .” I stayed silent, giving her the time she needed to gather her courage. “It’s a lot. I never thought I’d?—”
I nodded because I felt the same.
“I don’t want you to feel any pressure here, Lily. I don’t know why you left the way you did. Just like I don’t know where you’ve been these last ten years, but as I stand here today, with a second chance to have you in my life that I never in my wildest dreams thought possible, I can tell you with absolute certainty I will do anything within my power and then some to stay in it. I know you need a friend right now, someone you can always trust to have your back and protectyou, no matter the cost. That’s me, Lily. Let me be that person.”
“Jaxon, I can’t.”
“You can, Lily. I promise I’ll stand beside you forever if you’ll let me.”
She looked crestfallen, almost defeated, as she cast her eyes downward.
“Why don’t you hate me?” she asked with a soft exhale.
I dropped my head, leaning it against her forehead. “I won’t lie to you, not now, not ever. You broke me when you disappeared. I was out of my mind with anger, hurt, and sadness, but over the years, that resentment turned into grief and yearning.” I moved my hands to frame her cheeks and coax her eyes to meet mine. “But I could never hate you, not when I?—”
“No. Don’t say it, Jaxon, please don’t.”
“Okay, I won’t . . . Just know I never stopped, and if that means nothing more comes of this, there still isn’t anything in the world I won’t do for you. Please tell me you understand that.”
She nodded, tucking her lips between her teeth.
“I’d really like to hear your words, Lils.”
“I understand.” Her voice hovered like a tender whisper on my lips, and I wanted to memorize her every breath.
“Good.” I stepped back from between her legs, which pained me to do so, but I needed to lighten up the mood. “Now, what toppings do you want in your omelet? I’ve got mushrooms, spinach, red pepper, green onions, and tomato.”
All her favorites, I realized as I listed them out loud, almost like subconsciously I always kept those ingredients on hand to incorporate into my meals without even thinking about it.
