Chapter 32

Beth watches the drip of the IV in a daze, the measured beeps of the heart monitor the only sound in the quiet, darkened room. Alex is sleeping. He’s been asleep for several hours. She hasn’t spoken to him or seen him awake since she arrived.

Her mom had given her what little information she had the second she arrived. The test for an inhibitor came up empty. Eventually, Alex had responded to the treatment and the bleeding episode had stopped.

Two hours later, she’d insisted her mom go home to get some rest, while she spent the night awake in an armchair by his bed.

A beam of sun is streaking through a window now. Beth stands to stretch her tired muscles and walks over to the window.

“Hey,” Alex’s voice draws her from her stupor.

Relief sweeps over her when she turns around and sees that he’s awake and smiling.

“You’re here.”

“Of course I’m here,” she says, laughing breathlessly.

“Where’s Mom?”

“I sent her home. She was here walking around like a zombie.”

Alex laughs weakly at that.

She gives his hand a gentle squeeze. “Let me text her to tell her you’re awake.”

A nurse arrives then and Beth slips out to grab something to drink. On her way to the hospital cafeteria, her lack of sleep has her seeing things. Every man in a suit reminds her of Adrian, despite the fact that none of them look remotely like him.

Staring blankly out at the crowd in the hospital, she thinks about the depth of his eyes, the way they pierced easily right into her and she imagines seeing it now.

Her heart jumps out of her chest when she realizes that she can actually see him.

In a pair of dark grey jeans and a casual grey shirt that accentuates his broad shoulders and strong, tanned arms, Adrian is walking toward her, parting a crowd of visiting family and friends. She doesn’t even realize that she’s pacing toward him on unsteady feet till she sees his lips faintly turn up.

Their steps quicken and slow in unison as they close the long gap between them and she’s finally close enough to confirm she isn’t seeing things. He’s real, right in front of her, and for several moments, she holds her breath and just stares.

He’s grinning at her and he looks so young, almost boyish. Her pulse slows ever so slightly, and air seems to finally move through her lungs better than it had just moments ago. “You’re here,” she says finally, repeating her brother’s words.

“I’m here,” he murmurs, the sound of his voice rolling like a blanket over her skin. She draws in a deep breath, closing her eyes when she feels tears burning them. She shakes her head when she feels his hand touch her cheek and reduces her voice to a whisper.

She opens her eyes and studies every inch of his face to assure herself that this is Adrian. Her Adrian. “How did you… Why are you here?” she finally asks.

“For you.”

Her tears fall despite the soft laughter escaping her lips. “Did Iris…?”

“Tell me what happened? Yes.” Adrian pulls her close, letting her tears seep through his shirt. “I met her when I went to your apartment.”

She feels eyes from every direction on them as she cries, but she doesn’t care. She’s so fucking relieved she just doesn’t care at all.

They stay like that for another five minutes before Adrian pulls back, his expression grave. “How’s your brother?”

She explains that he’s fine and that they’ll be leaving the hospital soon. They walk down to a more quiet area of the hospital.

“I’m so happy you’re here,” she says, resting her head on his chest.

He places a gentle hand on her head “I know you saw the letters.”

She stiffens. How did he find out? She looks up at him. “I'm sorry. I shouldn’t have been snooping. I–”

“No, Beth. I'm the one who should be apologizing. The letter you saw, the one I wrote, it’s not what you think it is. I was writing to tell Mia to stop sending me letters because I was ready to move on, to be with you. I just wasn’t strong enough to go through with it then. But I am now. The trip I just got back from wasn’t just a business trip. I went to see her. I cut off ties with her.” He looks deep into her eyes. “I’m serious about you, Beth.”

She smiles up at him, unable to contain her joy.

He slides his thumb down to caress her cheek. “I need you to know that I meant everything I said,” he whispers, pulling her face to his until their noses are touching. “I love you, Beth. I think I did from the very first time I saw you in that coffee shop. And I’ve tried to fight it every step of the way, but it’s physically impossible for me not to love you. Trust me, I tried as hard as I could. I’m done fighting it. I want to love you.”

All of her tears come flooding back. And this time, there are only happy tears. “I love you, too.”

He lets out a long breath. “You have no idea what thoughts were forming in my mind when I called and you didn’t pick.”

“I haven’t looked at my phone since I stuffed it in my purse on the ride here. It’s probably dead now and I forgot to bring a charger,” she says, laughing weakly.

He takes her hands in his. “I thought I’d lost you.”

“You can’t get rid of me that easily,” she replies.

****

“Dinner’s ready!” Beth’s mom shouts from the kitchen.

They turn in the direction of her voice and exchange a glance. They left the hospital after Alex was discharged a few hours after Adrian arrived and headed back to her mom’s. Adrian had followed them despite Beth’s insistence that he didn’t have to and they could just meet back in his place once she was back in town.

Alex had retired to bed, still a bit weak.

When she’d introduced Adrian as her boss who was also her boyfriend, her mom had given her a look. But after spending a mere two hours with him, she couldn’t stop smiling and gushing over him. She’s never seen her mom smile so much in her life. It’s so rare that it’s almost creepy.

Adrian walks over and helps her set the table.

“Aw, thank you. How sweet of you,” her mom croons.

While they eat, her mom goes on and on about God knows what. Beth doesn’t pay attention. Instead, she watches how Adrian genuinely listens to her mom, commenting on occasion, asking frequent questions and joining in on her contagious laughter.

She marvels at how well Adrian blends in with everyone.

“So, are you looking to marry my daughter, Adrian?

“Mom!” Beth jerks, mortified at the change of topic and accidentally clanks her spoon onto the edge of the mug, almost sending coffee onto the tablecloth.

“What? It’s a fair question.” She bats her eyes at Adrian. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to pry.”

Yes, she did.

Adrian seems to find the question funny, his gentle laughter rolling through Beth. He throws a quick glance at Beth. “Soon enough. If she’ll have me."

Her cheeks heat and she motions to hide it, but Adrian stops her, pulling her hand into his and gently stroking her fingers. She flicks a look at her mother, who watches their interaction with bald interest.

“You appreciate her,” Beth’s mom says.

“I do. I’m not the best at showing it, but I do,” Adrian replies, giving Beth a look filled with so much emotion.

The conversation drifts back into something much more comfortable for Beth.

They finish with dinner and Beth clears the table and moves to the kitchen to clean up. Her mom walks in, not saying a word as she leans on the counter and stares at Beth.

“Is something wrong?” she asks her mom.

Her mom places a hand on Beth’s shoulder. “I’ll admit I was sceptical at first when you told me you were dating your boss. But I’m beyond thrilled you’ve found someone who makes you happy in every facet of your life. It’s obvious he makes you really happy. And anyone who can make my daughter walk around with a constant glow and a gorgeous smile is someone I hope she keeps around.” She pauses and considers her closely. “He seems like a really good man, Beth. And he’s extremely lucky he found you.”

Her mom is a big part of her life so she’d definitely want her to like the man in my life. She closes the distance between them and wraps her mom in a tight hug. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too, sweetie”

Beth finishes up with the dishes while her mom goes to bed.

****

Later, she grabs her wineglass and joins Adrian on a couch in the sitting room. She leans into him just slightly, relishing the warmth from the wine and from the horribly attractive man by her side.

They stay like that for hours, talking about anything and everything.

When she yawns, Adrian raises a brow. “Ready for bed?”

“I guess.”

He stands and carries her in his hands. The stairs creak as they climb the stairs up to her childhood bedroom.

He places her gently on the bed and his eyes take in the many nuances of her childhood stronghold. Her mom hadn’t changed a thing since Beth left for college. Everything is as she had left it. Old pictures of prom and homecoming litter her desk. Her graduation cap hangs next to the door. And the pink and yellow-flowered wallpaper still lines the walls.

It’s hideous by all accounts, but it’s still her room. The bedroom she grew up in. The place she’d had sleepovers and gossiped with friends about crushes. The place she’d had her first kiss, even though they were supposed to have been studying for an exam.

Nostalgia fills her lungs and plasters a reflective smile on her face. So much in her life has changed from the day she’d grabbed her last suitcase and headed to college. She had a great job, amazing friends, and now…Adrian. It’s funny how just a year ago, she hadn’t even known him, and now, he’s become this fixture in her life, one she hopes would be permanent.

“Thanks for being here.” She reaches her hand out to him.

He takes it and joins her on the bed. Together, they stare at her pink ceiling. He pulls her eyes to his and touches their lips together softly before rubbing his nose along the line of hers.

They spend half the night talking and the other half making love. For as long as she lives, she’ll never forget the look in his eyes when he tells her that he loves her as he pushes inside of her. The words making love had been just that—words—before last night. But they’d connected in such a way that it truly felt like they became one.

His lips, his touch, the way he makes love to her, it tells her everything she needs to know. This is real, him and her. This is it. And the best part is that they’re both certain. Neither of them is in limbo, waiting for the other to catch up or decide if this is right. They’re all in, both of them, in love. Intense, life-changing, forever a part of one another kind of love.