My Forever (48 page)

“I shouldn’t have kiss…
done
that
. B
ut I don’t think you realize how
very cool
you are. You’re beautiful and talented and
fun to be around
. I hope this guy you’re waiting for is good enough for you.”

“He is.” I smile. He definitely is.

~
~
~

Dani,

I’m counting days here. The only glitch is that we’re still in the end of hurricane season down here so travel only happens between storms
. Don’t worry about me, b
ut it means I don’t know exactly when I’ll make it home. I’ll try to give you some warning. In about four weeks though! I can’t wait to hear al
l about Jackie’s wedding, but
I’m sure she’ll have an earful for me on that one.

I’m counting days Dani. Days!

Love, Michael

Every single one of his words warm
s
me. He’s half off his mission already.

33

With school starting, the week is busy. I do a dozen or so senior portraits as well as the official cheerleading pictures of Lake Washington High School. One of the girls on the team heard about me when she was getting fitted for her back to school outfit at
LoriLee
. Some people just live in different worlds than others.

I have a shoot this afternoon. There’s a family coming in ahead of time for family portraits to send out Christmas Cards. It feels bizarre to have a Christmas setup for them. It’s barely September. I get a text halfway through our afternoon.

Dani

Dinner at my parent’s house

No excuses

Jackie

I try to write her back
,
but my stupid phone dies. I excuse myself
from the shoot
, plug it in
,
and turn it off. I don’t need any more interruptions while I’m working.

The kids are adorable, the parents are fun
,
and I’m really pleased with what I have so far.

They walk out at just after five. Crap.

It takes a while on the bus. I’ll have to take a cab
if I want to be there on time
, but from this far away, it’s a small fortune. I’ll have to be
late. It’s not my fault anyway. I
f she’d given me some warning…

I snatch my phone, throw it in my purse, grab my bag, and walk out the door. I just catch my first bus. It takes three from here. I’m starving
,
and it’s pouring outs
ide. I look in the bus’ mirror, and realize
my
hair’s
already a mess, and
more time in the rain will wash away any makeup I bothered with
.

I sigh. A guy sitting next to me is reading the paper. The headlines are all about the latest hurricane hitting the Caribbean. I sigh again. Michael will be lucky to make it home before
Christmas
.

I get off the la
st bus at just after six, and
pull my hood up as tight as I can, but I’m still soaked by the time I make it to their house.
No way I’m waiting outside, so
I
just
let myself in.

“Jackie! This better be some amazing feast here because I’m tired and I’m soaked completely through!” Why did I even bother? This is ridiculous. I hate being all wet and gross in their house. My
wool pants are
probably ruined. I pull off my wet shoes and rip off my jacket. It slaps against the wall and drips all over the floor. I take a breath and look toward the living room.
Michael’s here.
Watching me with a faint smile on his face.

Time stops. He looks so different. He’s broader, more filled out than before. His tan is deep, but his smile is exactly the way I remember.

My jaw drops.

“Dani?”
He steps toward me. “You look…
so beautiful.”

I kind of laugh as I look do
wn at myself, wet hair, wet clothes
… I don’t even want to think about what my face looks like. I look back up, and he’s still staring at me with an expression that makes my heart melt. I try to pull the wet hair from my face.

“I came home late last nig
ht. T
hey released me
from my mission officially
this morning. I wanted to surprise you.”

And suddenly he’s next to me, pulling me into his arms. The hesitation he used to have is gone. As I breathe him in, and feel his warmth, I decide I like surprises again.

“You were saying?” I hear Jackie’s voice as her footsteps stop on the tile of the entry.

“Go away.” I laugh. “You’re forgiven.”

She laughs back, and I hear her footsteps
head
back to the living room.

Michael lets go only enough to take my face into his hands. “I can’t believe we’re finally here. I can’t
believe how beautiful you look. H
ow beautiful you are.” I lean up just slightly, and his lips are on mine. The past two years are erased. Two years of being apart are gone. It’s like he never left. Except I learned so much while he was away.

“This is okay, right?”
His smile spli
ts his face.

“
Of course
!” I hug him again. I’m freezing
,
and he’s so warm.

“There was another set of storms moving in
,
and they sent me home before they hit.”

“Wow.” He’s the same, but different. I can’t believe we made it.

“You look like you’re freezing.” His warm hands squeeze my shoulders and rub up and down my arms slowly.

“I am freezing.” I smile and kiss him again. He feels good.
Even better than I remember.
I was so worried things would be awkward, that it would take us a while to get back in the swing of being together. But it’s better. There’s no pregnant belly between us, and there’s no separation looming. Just us.

“Do you have clothes here?” he asks.

“Yeah.”
But I don’t walk away. What if he disappears?

“I’ll be right here.”

I reluctantly leave him downstairs so I can change. I keep a stash here. I had to when I lived with Jackie. Now she has Chase
,
and doesn’t mind going home when it’s dark. I hang my
clothes
up to dry, throw on my favorite y
ellow nightgown, and q
uickly rub
my hair with a towel.

He pulls me into him as soon as I step into the hallway. “You look amazing.” He whispers in my ear. I
wrap my arms around him, and pull him close.

The newness of having him home and being able to touch him this way won’t wear off for a long time
.

Our evening is spent in the living room, my head on Michael’s shoulder and him telling us all about the people he met
,
and th
e places he went. I’m exhausted. M
y mouth continues to pull into a yawn, and I continue to attempt to keep it closed. I’m still leaning against Michael on the couch,
but
my body’s heavier by the second.

“You’re tired,” he says.

“But I don’t want my night to be over.” I turn to see his face and realize we’re the only two left in the room.

“It doesn’t have to be.” He kisses my forehead.

“If you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking…” I shake m
y head. “Made that mistake once. I
t won’t happen again.” I smile so he knows I’m teasing.

“Give me a little credit, will ya?” He stands up, and takes my arms to help me to my feet. I lean on him as we walk up the stairs. He follows me into my room
, and I sit in bed wondering what he has planned.

“You stay there. I’ll be right back.”

I lie down,
exhausted.
He’s home.
He’s safe.
A
ll’s right with the world.

He comes back in wearing his pajamas, carrying a comforter.

“What are you doing?”

“I haven’t seen you in two years, Dani. I’m not leaving you tonight.”

I can’t say no to that. I don’t want to.

He opens the door into the hallway. “See? We’re not being sneaky or anything.” He lies on top of my blankets, and pulls his own over him. “I can’t begin to tell you how many nights I lay on my back in my bed and closed my eyes so I could pretend you were there with me.”

I scoot over and lay my head on his chest. His arms wrap around me. The blankets separate us. I trust him. The thought runs through me again,
we made it
. I f
all asleep almost immediately—
my head on his chest, and his hand softly stroking my hair.

~
~
~

Sometime in the middle of the night, I wake up.
I’m pressed against his back, and
think about our last night together. I think about this night together. I think back to the time we spent before he left. And then all the way
back
to Alaska, to the couch. “I never want to be away from you again,” I whisper. “I love you.”

I don’t mean to wake him up, but he rolls over and
looks at me. “I love you, Dani. S
o much.” He leans forward and his lips brush against mine. I scoot back into his
chest,
frustrated at the layers of blankets between us
,
and let my heavy eyes take over again.