Page 16 of If You Love Me

I nodded as she backed out of the office and closed the door. For a moment, I just sat there staring at the phone, too afraid to pick it up. Every night I dreamed of the moment I would hear this man’s voice again. Now that the moment had arrived, I wasterrified. Still, with a trembling finger, I pressed the button and picked up the receiver.

“Tyrion?” I whispered.

I could hear at the moment his breath caught in his throat, and the line went silent.

“Tyrion?” I said a little louder.

“Evenie… is that really you?”

“It’s really me.”

His audible cries both broke and healed my heart. He really did miss me. He hadn’t forgotten about me.

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this moment,” he declared through his tears. “Oh God, I’ve missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you too. I thought about you and Summer Rose every single day.”

“How are you? Are you hurt? What happened to you? Wait! Don’t answer. I’m on my way. I’m leaving the office right now. Just wait for me.”

I could hear him shuffling about in the background. Then I heard a loud thud.

He groaned. “Shit!”

“What happened?”

“I tripped over my own two feet.”

I giggled, a first in a long time. He’d always been on the clumsy side when he was excited.

“Damn, I’ve missed your laugh,” he said.

“I’ve missed watching you fall over random things.”

I could hear the smile in his voice. “I’m still just as clumsy as I’ve always been.”

“Please be careful on the road, Tyrion.”

“Say my name again.”

I smiled. “Tyrion.”

“I can’t wait to see you.”

“I can’t wait to see you, either. Be safe. I’ll be right here.”

“I’m getting in the car now. I’ll be there as fast as I can.”

“Okay.”

“Ev?”

“Yes?”

He was quiet for a moment. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

We disconnected the call, and my head dropped in my hands. This was too good to be true, but it was happening.

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