Page 111 of This Broken Heart

Space for what?

I don’t want more space. I want him closer.

I want to feel his skin against mine.

The beat of his broken heart.

74.

Josh

My heart is racing a million miles an hour. I can’t stop thinking about how I almost lost her and all she can do is mutterI’m sorryagain and again.

I’m shushing her, hugging her to me, but she’s going into shock and she doesn’t hear me.

I do the only thing I can think of, I press my lips against hers, swallowing up those words.

They belong on my tongue, anyway.

I’m the one who should say it.

She calms down, arms reaching for me. I pull her into my arms, trying to will my warmth into her chilly skin. But we’re both wet and shivering.

“Trace?”

“He’s okay.” I say. “You saved his life.”

She heaves a shuddering breath. “Oh, thank God. Thank God.”

Someone passes me a handful of towels and I take them, wrapping them around her body.

Trace starts wailing, and she looks around, clear-eyed for the first time since she went under the waves. She holds her hands out to him and he pulls out of mom’s grasp, barreling into us. “I drowned you.”

“No, Trace.” She smiles, hugging him close. “I’m right here. I’m fine.”

Maven weasels in between Trace and Erin. She puts her hand on Erin’s chest, right above her heart. She looks over her shoulder, focusing those big, brown eyes on me. “Mommy’s okay?”

A muffled sob escapes my lips. “Yes, baby. Mommy’s okay. Everybody’s okay.” I glance up at my mom and dad, who are hovering nearby. “But let’s take them to Urgent Care just to be sure.”

“I’m fine.” Erin protests, attempting to squirm out of my arms. Dad extracts Maven and mom coaxes Trace away.

“I’m sure you are.” I say, climbing to my feet. “But just humor me, okay?”

I pull her to her feet, but her legs are still a bit shaky. Sweeping her into my arms, I start carrying her up the beach.

“So much for subtlety.” She mutters.

“Oh, we’re way past that.”

“We are?”

I smile down at her. “That ship has fucking sailed.”

“I’m sorry.”

My arms tighten around her body. “Stop saying that. You have nothing to apologize for.”

“I was going to run away.”

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