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I look up. “I never asked you to.”

“I know, but I can’t…” She shakes her head as if her own words confuse her. “I’m still in love with Damiano.”

“You’ll always be,” I say, because I never once doubted that. Nora is like that, she loves big, and she never lets go.

“You kissed me…” I see the question in her eyes and I freeze.

Truth that hurts or a lie that mends the wound?

But as I stare at her, the woman who crawled into my soul and made it her home… I know I owe her the truth.

“I did.”

“Why?”

“Because…” I swallow, get up and walk over to the window. “I don’t think you’re ready to hear it.”

“I want the truth.”

I shake my head and turn to look at her.

“I think I fell for you in a field of sunflowers, while you laughed and turned in circles as a new day began… but I didn’t want to see it.”

“I know you’re not ready.”

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready.”

I nod. “Know that too.”

She wrings her hands as tears fall down her face, her pain making me ache even more.

“Please don’t cry for me,” I whisper.

“I may not be ready, Jude, but I do really care about you.”

“I know.”

“Just… I can’t be with you right now.”

“I know that too.”

She turns her tear-streaked face to me. “I’m so sorry, Jude.”

“Me too.”

“Is…” She hesitates. “Can I hug you?”

“Whatever happens, you’ll never have to doubt that you can hug me, Short Stuff.” I make sure she sees it’s the truth.

Because she could ask me to bring her every star in the universe and I would. For her, there is nothing I wouldn’t do, not even if it kills me in the process.

I open my arms.

She hesitates, then throws herself into my arms.

I pull her to me and we stay like that for a few minutes. Both crying.

I hold her tighter, wondering if this is the last time I’ll ever have her in my arms.