Wrapping my legs around his hips, I kiss him back, as he keeps me pinned to the wall. “I will come for you,” he says through labored breaths. “As soon as Emily is healthy, I will come for you.”
I nod and rest my forehead against his, not sure I can find the words to tell him exactly how I feel.
“I get it. We need a restart. But so help me God, Addison Peacock, when that day comes, you better be ready for forever, because I’m not going to let you go again.”
I bury my face in his neck and hold onto him tight, memorizing his scent, the feel of his skin. “I love you, Damian.”
“I know Green Eyes, I know.
She’s been gone three months. Ninety-two days and sixteen hours to be exact. I kept her on that wall for at least twenty minutes, making sure her lips felt my presence for days after she left. I didn’t want to let her go, but she was right, we needed a fresh start, with nothing standing in our way.
Emily’s words play on repeat in my mind. “She didn’t mean to hurt you, Damian. You have to forgive someone when it’s an accident.” How such a little girl could be so knowledgeable about the human heart is mind blowing, but we are talking about Emily.
“Go see her.” I look at her sweet face and take her all in. Wisps of blonde hair are beginning to grow back, gracing her perfect round skull.
“Chill out Sweat Pea. These things take time.”
“It’s been three months.”
The longest three months of my life. Watching Emily battle that damn disease, sitting by her bedside more times than I’d like to count. When I wasn’t at the hospital I was fighting Thomas, finding ways the court would listen to my attorneys instead of whatever Thomas had to say.
“And only one month since you’ve been officially cleared of any cancer cells. I’ve been busy,” I say.
She tilts her head and crosses her arms over her chest. Women must be born with that innate ability to stare a man down.
“Don’t put the blame on me. I’m happily settled into my new home. You could have gone to her weeks ago.”
I look around the house she now calls home. It used to be my home, as well. After raising eight of her own children, my attorneys convinced the courts to give guardianship of Emily to my mother. The way Thomas was fighting me tooth and nail, this scenario was the best I could do, and I’m happy at the way it turned out. My mom knows I’m Emily’s uncle and at some point, I’ll tell Emily that truth as well, but for right now, I’m letting her enjoy her happily ever after. I’ve kept my dad in the dark. If Emily chooses to tell him one day, that’s her decision, and I’ll support whatever choice she makes.
The adoption isn’t complete, but within the next six months, Emily should be a full-fledged Walker. It’s the end of August, and she’s enjoying the final remaining weeks until school starts. I’m hoping she can live as normal a life as possible from here on forward.
Thomas has backed off, conceding this isn’t such a bad outcome for a little girl who was left homeless by an awful accident. An accident that no matter how hard he tries to pin on me, wasn’t my fault.
It feels right seeing her here where I grew up, surrounded by everything that made me who I am today. She will want for nothing, including an abundance of love from eight brothers and sisters who will spoil her rotten. And I can visit and spend as much time with her as I want or as she needs.
Having her settled, healthy and happy, I can now focus on getting my own life back on track. I haven’t spoken to Addison in three months. A few text messages here and there, but for the most part, I’ve given her the space she needed. And ultimately the time our relationship needed to heal. Now that Emily is settled, I can focus on us. I only hope Addison’s ready for me, and that we can keep the past where it belongs and move forward.
“I’m taking Emily to get her nails done, Damian.”
I’m startled by my mother’s voice, but she looks so much like Emily it’s hard to imagine they aren’t related.
“Nothing too bright.”
She waves me off. “Go do something, Damian. I don’t want to see you when we get home.”
My mom has never kicked me out before. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means stop being such a man and go see that woman.”
Shaking my head, I ignore her and look out at the ocean. She makes it sound so easy.
“It is that easy.” I turn wondering if I spoke out loud. “Go to her. Work it out. I’ve never seen you like this before. Not even after your accident.” I flinch and my mom takes my hands and squeezes. “Nothing comes easy in life, Damian. You should know that by now. The same is true for love.” Releasing my hands, she reaches for Emily’s tiny fingers and walks her out the front door.
The fog that rolls in every night along the coast is beginning to burn off and I take a deep breath, weighing my options.
My phone dings a new text and I look at the screen.
Reed: You go find Addison yet?
Me: No.
Reed: Stop being such a pussy.
Fuck. He’s right. Why is he always right? It’s time to act and hope like hell she hasn’t forgotten about me.
“Go! Don’t stop. You can make it!” I’ve resorted back to yelling at the television. I can’t help it, watching my favorite teams duke it out to see who can race around the world fastest is familiar to me, and for the past three months, nothing has felt familiar.
I moved to find myself, and I have. I’ve learned that I do know how to cook when I take the time to read a recipe all the way through, that not only does coffee taste good out of my dad’s mugs, but wine works as well and that reading erotic romance novels pales in comparison to the real deal.
I miss Damian. Emily’s story was all over the news and photos of Damian and his family were plastered everywhere. He won. Emily will be in his family forever, and he didn’t have to break his promise to Megan to make it happen. I wanted to drive up and congratulate him in person, tell him I miss him, and see if it was time to finally move forward, but I couldn’t make myself do it. Sending him a four word text instead “I’m proud of you.” His response, “I love you.” Those three words made me smile for the first time in two months and my fingers moved over the screen on my phone, quickly texting him back. “I love you too.”
“I know. I’ll see you soon.” he instantly responded. The texts stopped there, and now four weeks later, I haven’t heard a peep. Emily is living with his parents in Malibu, and I can only assume Damian is a short twenty-minute drive away, as well.
Mia and Paige haven’t bumped into him, and they refuse to drive by my old apartment. Something I’m both thankful for and hating at the same time. I want to know what he’s doing, where he’s going and if he ever stops to think about me, or if he’s moved on.
My life has fallen into a comfortable routine, and this move proved one thing. I’m stronger than I thought. Leaving Santa Barbara was the best decision I’ve ever made. Being away from memories that remind me how lonely I was at times has given me a fresh look on life, but I miss Damian. He’s my one missing link and I need him in my life.
Voices in the hallway grab my attention. The apartment next door has been vacant since I moved in, but it sounds like that’s not going to be the case anymore.