Page 86 of Come Back to Me

“No,” I answer, smiling. “Just sitting out here pondering the complexities of love and life.” I wink at him.

“Oh yeah? Did you get it all figured out and can now enlighten the rest of the world?” He smiles, and it’s so damn sexy.

“Yep. As soon as I finish my coffee, I’m going to call CNN and see if they want to interview me about it.” I laugh.

After this, we sit quietly, holding hands for a few minutes and I love how this feels perfect, complete. Taking the last sip of my coffee, I set my cup on the table between us.

Jack glances down at it. “I’m going to get another cup. Do you want one?”

“Yes, please, extra half and half. I’m going to live on the edge this morning.” I smile.

It’s almost seven-twenty in the morning, so I get a front-row seat as the sky slowly starts changing colors, painting the darkness with vibrant pink and purple hues.

I get so lost in watching the show in the sky that I don’t even realize Jack has come back out until he takes my hand and pulls me over to his lap before covering us both with a blanket. I snuggle in and rest my head on his shoulder, continuing to watch the sunrise.

“Wow, it’s gorgeous, isn’t it?” I ask, in awe.

“It sure is,” Jack murmurs, and something in his voice makes me look over at him.

Butterflies take off in my lower belly when I see he’s not looking at the sunrise—he’s looking right at me.

“Annie,” he whispers as he plays with one of my curls, “I hope you know I intend for you to be my forever. I’m so fucking grateful you came back to me and I’m never letting you go again.”

Looking into those sultry gray eyes, I smile widely at him. “Right back at you, Jack. I love you so much,” I answer, before bringing my lips to his.

Minutes later, when we break the kiss, I snuggle into Jack’s chest and turn my gaze back to the sky. I gasp at the beauty of the full sunrise on the horizon.

Right then and there, it hits me that true love, the kind of love I have with Jack, is like a beautiful sunrise.

Life may have periods of darkness, but this kind of love pierces the darkness and paints it in the gorgeous colors of life.

EPILOGUE

JACK

I sit down on one of the ornate concrete benches the Elladine Fire Department donated in Teddy’s memory and stare at the ground, a light dusting of fresh snow covering it. I wonder if he knew how much he was loved. So many of our department brothers, across all three of our stations, donated to fund the beautiful benches because Ted had touched their lives.

“Hey, Teddy… sorry it’s taken me so long to come, buddy. I think a part of me was still trying to pretend you were just away, not gone, and I knew coming here would make it feel more real. I can’t believe it’s been almost three months without you. I miss you so damn much. You’ve been my best friend since we met all those years ago.” Feeling my eyes stinging, I pause for a minute to compose myself and clear my throat.

“So, today’s the big day. Annie and Bean are moving in with Grace and me. It’s kind of shitty weather for moving, but there’s no way I can wait until spring. That woman, she grounds me, and I don’t want to waste one minute apartfrom her that I don’t have to. Anyway, my family is going to help, as well as Fitz. Finn volunteered to help, too. He’s new, so you don’t know him. The jury is still out on him… He’s doing damn well in his training, but he can be a cocky son of a bitch, too. I think you’d like him, though. Shit, sorry, Ted, I’m rambling,” I say, stopping myself.

I sit quietly for a few minutes, smiling at the memories as I think about Teddy and the sheer energy and joy he brought to those who loved him.

Looking down at my watch, I realize I need to leave now if I’m going to get everything ready for today.

“All right, Ted, I’m going to head out now. Before I go, though, I want… I want you to know I’m watching out for Em. Fitz is too, actually. We’ve been going over and helping with yard work and minor stuff around the house. Fitz has been plowing her snow so far this season, even though she insists she can do it. Shit, we had one bad storm already, and the snowdrifts were more than half her height, but you know how stubborn that woman can be,” I say, laughing.

“Okay. I really have to go. I love you, man.” I say and pat his headstone before wiping my eyes and heading back to the truck.

ANNIE

Sitting cross-legged on the floor of my back bedroom, Shayna and I are packing some of my linens into boxes to load into my car. I can’t believe moving day is already here.

“I’m so happy you and Tommy will live here,” I say to Shayna, smiling. “You’re going to love how well he and the DePaul twins get on.”

“I can’t wait. I’m not trying to be a wild child or anything, but it’ll be nice when Tommy is at Mom and Dad’s houseovernight to maybe have some company or not sleep at home without my whole family knowing my business.” She winks.

“Shayna! Do you have a man-friend you’ve been keeping from me?” I whisper-yell, so her brothers—who, along with Fitz and Finn, are in the other room planning how to move the bigger furniture—don’t hear.

---