Page 178 of After All This Time

What the hell?

We both freeze in place.

“Shhhh,” I say as I place my index finger over my mouth. “The entire fourth floor is going to hear you!”

“I knew it,” she says, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

“How did you know?” Dani asks her, gently shaking her head.

“The energy between you two feels different. I felt it the moment you walked into the room. Noah, buddy, you were trying so hard to not look at Dani.”

There’s something else that’s hard right now. And it’s not me struggling to not look at Dani which doesn’t matter anymore since Lizzie knows.

Well, she doesn’t know everything.

“There’s more,” I say.

“More?” Lizzie asks.

“This isn’t a friends-with-benefits type of situation. It doesn’t even come close to it.” My eyes land on Dani’s. Her lips are partially open and she’s listening intently. “I’ve been absolutely crazy about this woman since high school. This past month and a half has made me reevaluate my feelings for her. Admit how I truly feel about her to myself and to her.”

This is it, Noah. Tell her that you love her. That you’re in love with her. Just fucking do it.

Dani’s holding her breath in anticipation of what I’m about to reveal. Yet, I feel like she already knows.

I just haven’t told her I love her with actual words.

“I’m—”

“Is everything okay in here?” A nurse with dirty blonde hair and hazel eyes asks us. I can’t make out her name tag.

Goddammit. Every time.

“Everything’s fine. Sorry for being too loud.”

“Yeah, so sorry,” Dani echoes.

“Just checking. I’m glad you’re going home today Lizzie.”

“Me too!”

“You got this,” the nurse says as she walks out of the room.

Dani and I peek our heads out into the hall to make sure nobody else is coming.

No more interruptions. I’m begging.

I pull Dani back into the room by her waist, twisting her around, so she faces me. I’m aware I’m staring at her full pink lips that hypnotize the shit out of me.

My sister is staring at the both of us. She’s anxiously waiting for something to happen. “Don’t mind me. Pretend I’m not even here,” she says.

Breaking eye contact with Dani, I turn my attention back to my sister and change the subject. “Did Mom call for a wheelchair?”

“She called for a wheelchair an hour ago. One of my nurses said someone is on their way with one.”

Just at the right moment, a female nurse with brunette hair rolls a wheelchair in front of the doorway. “Elizabeth Kaplan?”

“That’s me.”

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