I threw the car door open before Steve stopped completely. I knew exactly where Nic was.
Steve latched onto my arm, his brow furrowed with worry. “He’s not here, Mandi.”
“I know where he is.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“No. I need to talk to him alone. I’ll be alright.”
I rushed through the vast emptiness of the white mist, searching for Nic. I shivered as the wind picked up, causing my dress to flutter as I ran.
“Nic!” I couldn’t see anything. He had to be here. He just had to be. I ran faster, calling out his name until my voice grew hoarse. Sobbing, I gasped for air, nearly hysterical that I’d I lost the one person who meant the most to me in the world. Each breath was a well-deserved stab in my chest. Finally, I stopped. I couldn’t take the pain anymore. It was no use. He wasn’t here.
A light drizzle fell onto my cheeks, mixing with my tears. Just as I was about to turn and find my way back to Steve, the mist dissipated. My breath hitched at the sight of Nic, long and lean, drizzle glittering on his dark hair like diamonds. He stared off into the river as if lost in a memory. My eyes drifted down to a red object in his hand—my lost rhinestone bobby pin.
“I hope you don’t mind that I kept this.” His voice was soft.
“I was wondering where it went.”
“I kept it to remember that night. It was the closest I’ve ever felt to you. And I didn’t know how long I’d have you.” His voice choked with emotion. “I wanted you with me...always.”
“Nic, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“Please don’t. I know what you’re going to say.” Turning, hazel eyes gazed at me with a sad longing that quickly widened with surprise.
“Why are you dressed like that?”
“I know. I look awful. I look like a giant Easter egg. I didn’t have time to change and Carla was running late.”
I was rambling and he knew it. I swallowed thickly, wondering why I couldn’t just say it.
There was a flash of lightning, and like typical Texas weather, the sky opened up in a torrential downpour. Despite the heavy rain, I clearly saw that his eyes held nothing but love for me. Even in his goodbye, his eyes showed how much he loved me. They were the same eyes I’d been looking into since the first day we met. He’d never held anything back from me. He’d always told me the truth. He trusted me. He loved me . And all he ever wanted was for me to love him too.
Without another moment’s hesitation, the words spilled out.
“I love you!” I blurted. “Oh God. I said it. I really said it. I love you, Nic. I’ve always loved you. I tried not to love you. I was afraid to love you. Afraid that if I loved you and you found out about me, the real me, that I’d lose you. And I couldn’t stand the thought of hurting like that. So I shoved the feelings away. I smashed them all down into a little box in my heart and threw away the key. But it kept growing and growing...like...like fungus. And now I can’t think of anyone else but you. And then Julian...Julian came into my life.”
The rain lightened up enough for me to clearly see Nic’s face twist at the mention of Julian’s name.
“He was a distraction,” I explained quickly. “He was a way out. Because he would’ve been so easy to be with. He’s like me. He understands. At least, that’s what I had thought. But I was wrong! I was so, so wrong. I don’t care if he loves me or not. But you, Nic, the thought of losing you is too much. I think of losing you and I can’t breathe. I can’t see a life where you don’t exist.
“I know I’m probably too late. But you have to know. I had to tell you. I love you. I want to have everything with you. I want to marry you and have your babies.”
His face lit up, making him even more breathtakingly handsome.
Oh my God. I couldn’t believe I’d said that. Did I mean it? Yes, I did.
“I mean it, Nic. I want the white picket fence and little Marcellis running around. But not
Steve latched onto my arm, his brow furrowed with worry. “He’s not here, Mandi.”
“I know where he is.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“No. I need to talk to him alone. I’ll be alright.”
I rushed through the vast emptiness of the white mist, searching for Nic. I shivered as the wind picked up, causing my dress to flutter as I ran.
“Nic!” I couldn’t see anything. He had to be here. He just had to be. I ran faster, calling out his name until my voice grew hoarse. Sobbing, I gasped for air, nearly hysterical that I’d I lost the one person who meant the most to me in the world. Each breath was a well-deserved stab in my chest. Finally, I stopped. I couldn’t take the pain anymore. It was no use. He wasn’t here.
A light drizzle fell onto my cheeks, mixing with my tears. Just as I was about to turn and find my way back to Steve, the mist dissipated. My breath hitched at the sight of Nic, long and lean, drizzle glittering on his dark hair like diamonds. He stared off into the river as if lost in a memory. My eyes drifted down to a red object in his hand—my lost rhinestone bobby pin.
“I hope you don’t mind that I kept this.” His voice was soft.
“I was wondering where it went.”
“I kept it to remember that night. It was the closest I’ve ever felt to you. And I didn’t know how long I’d have you.” His voice choked with emotion. “I wanted you with me...always.”
“Nic, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“Please don’t. I know what you’re going to say.” Turning, hazel eyes gazed at me with a sad longing that quickly widened with surprise.
“Why are you dressed like that?”
“I know. I look awful. I look like a giant Easter egg. I didn’t have time to change and Carla was running late.”
I was rambling and he knew it. I swallowed thickly, wondering why I couldn’t just say it.
There was a flash of lightning, and like typical Texas weather, the sky opened up in a torrential downpour. Despite the heavy rain, I clearly saw that his eyes held nothing but love for me. Even in his goodbye, his eyes showed how much he loved me. They were the same eyes I’d been looking into since the first day we met. He’d never held anything back from me. He’d always told me the truth. He trusted me. He loved me . And all he ever wanted was for me to love him too.
Without another moment’s hesitation, the words spilled out.
“I love you!” I blurted. “Oh God. I said it. I really said it. I love you, Nic. I’ve always loved you. I tried not to love you. I was afraid to love you. Afraid that if I loved you and you found out about me, the real me, that I’d lose you. And I couldn’t stand the thought of hurting like that. So I shoved the feelings away. I smashed them all down into a little box in my heart and threw away the key. But it kept growing and growing...like...like fungus. And now I can’t think of anyone else but you. And then Julian...Julian came into my life.”
The rain lightened up enough for me to clearly see Nic’s face twist at the mention of Julian’s name.
“He was a distraction,” I explained quickly. “He was a way out. Because he would’ve been so easy to be with. He’s like me. He understands. At least, that’s what I had thought. But I was wrong! I was so, so wrong. I don’t care if he loves me or not. But you, Nic, the thought of losing you is too much. I think of losing you and I can’t breathe. I can’t see a life where you don’t exist.
“I know I’m probably too late. But you have to know. I had to tell you. I love you. I want to have everything with you. I want to marry you and have your babies.”
His face lit up, making him even more breathtakingly handsome.
Oh my God. I couldn’t believe I’d said that. Did I mean it? Yes, I did.
“I mean it, Nic. I want the white picket fence and little Marcellis running around. But not
Similar Books
