Page 106 of After You

“Yet? I haven’t seenhim.”

“Are you in Seattle?”

Her heart thumped. “No. I’m still in Sapphire Falls.” She frowned. “Why?”

“He’s on his way to the airport.”

“The airport? Why?”

“He was sure you were leaving.”

Hannah processed that. Kyle had assumed she’d leave. And she’d been on her way. He’d known that her first instinct was to leave.

She hatedthat.

“No. I’m…um, staying.”

Derek blew a breath out. “That’s awesome, Hannah. Seriously.”

“Thanks.” She was still a little nervous about it, but it felt right. “But Kyle’s on his way to Seattle?”

“Well, Omaha. He can’t be there yet,” Derek said. “I’ll try to stophim.”

Hannah started for the door. “Yes, tell him to turn around. And I’ll meet him halfway.” She swallowed. “Which is exactly what we should have done three yearsago.”

* * *

Thirty minutes later,Hannah was just on the other side of York when she saw Kyle’s truck heading west. She started honking and flashing her lights, quickly turning into a parking lot so she could change directions.

In the rearview mirror, she saw his brake lights, and then his truck whipping a U-turn in the middle of the next intersection. She pulled over underneath a tall light and waited. Kyle pulled up next to her a minute later. He didn’t even turn the truck off as he burst out of the cab. She met him between their vehicles.

Kyle gathered her into his arms, burying his face in her neck, and just held her. She wrapped herself around him, as much of her body against his as she couldget.

They stayed like that for several long, sweet minutes.

Finally, Kyle pulled back with a huge, deep breath. “You were still in Sapphire Falls?”

“You were on your way to Seattle?”

He cupped her face. “I realized there are a hell of a lot of things in this world that I can’t fix or control. But there is one thing I can—being with you, wherever you are. I didn’t do that last time, and I’ve been chasing this idea of fixing everything around me since. Now I finally realize that I’ve just been looking for a way to fix my heart. And the only way to do that is to be withyou.”

“Wow,” she said softly after a moment, “that was reallygood.”

He gave her a little grin. “Three years too late, maybe, but I’m glad I finally realized it and said it.” His expression sobered. “And this… I love you, Hannah. I’ve always lovedyou.

Her eyes filled with tears. “I love you too. So much. I’ve never stopped.”

“God, I should have come after you. I should have said to hell with my residency if it meant not coming toyou.”

She shook her head. “It’s over now. All of that isover.”

“You know, I go around thinking that I’m doing all of these amazing things for others, but you, God, you gave everything up—your hometown, your family, me, your happiness, so that I could have the life I wanted. The life I thought I wanted,” he corrected. “The truth is, I’ve been working my ass off in part because I’m trying to fill the gaps. The lonely, empty gaps in my time and my attention and my energy and my heart where you’re supposed to be. And I feel good about my work, but it hasn’t...worked,” he said with a small smile. “Because nothing can fill in foryou.”

Hannah felt a tear roll down her cheek. But she wasn’t about to say anything to interrupt this amazing monologue.

Kyle’s thumb caught the next tear and wiped it away. “Please stay and let me try to take care of you. I’ll get better at it. And there’s always Hope and her shop for the stuff I’m not goodat.”

“And Kade,” shesaid.

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