Page 22 of The Game
‘Of course.’ Alyssa half-turned and gestured through the open doorway. ‘Would you like to come in?’
She led him into the sitting room and took the chair she’d occupied earlier, the one by the window. Dean sat in the opposite corner, in the armchair closest to the front door. She couldn’t help but wonder if he’d chosen it deliberately, in case he felt the need to make a speedy exit.
He didn’t say anything immediately; instead, he bounced his knee, his eyes darting around the room and looking everywhere but at her. Eventually, his gaze fell on her violin sitting in its open case. The sight seemed to ground him, and his leg stilled. She considered blurting out her feelings, telling him everything she’d realised while she’d been playing, but he’d clearly come to get something off his chest, so she’d let him speak first.
Eventually, he did, and his voice cracked with emotion, though he could still barely look at her. ‘I want you to know,’ he said, ‘that I don’t hold it against you. For keeping it from me. I get why you did it.’
‘I never should have—’
‘Please, Alyssa, let me get this out.’
She nodded and twisted her hands in her lap. ‘Okay.’
He took a deep breath and continued. ‘I never thought I could forgive someone for lying to me. My mum lied to my dad constantly, and he drank himself to oblivion from the pain of it. But the thing is, although nobody likes being lied to, you never knew how strongly I felt about it or the damage you could do, because I’d never told you. So I don’t need another apology, Alyssa. I understand your reasons, and I forgive you.’
He hesitated, though Alyssa could tell he had more to say, so she waited.
He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, and stared at the ground. ‘I … I broke your number one rule, Alyssa. Youtoldme this thing between us could only ever be temporary, but I went ahead and fell in love with you anyway.’ He worked his jaw, his emotions written all over his face when he finally lifted his eyes to hers.
Hope ignited like a flame deep inside her, but she had to be sure. ‘I thought love wasn’t on the cards for you.’
His gaze softened, and his lips curved gently. ‘It wasn’t until I met you.’
Alyssa’s heart melted, and she wanted to run to him. She wanted to believe they could live happily ever after, but while Dean might finally be ready to accept that lovewason the cards for him, life had unfortunately dealt her a shitty hand.
She glanced briefly at her violin. ‘Can I play for you?’
Smiling, Dean nodded. ‘I’d love that.’
After moving into position, her lifeblood in her hands, she touched the bow to the strings, and the song she’d composed earlier flowed straight from her heart to Dean’s ears.
When she finally finished, Dean was crying, and he made no effort to wipe away his tears.
She put down her violin, crossed the room and climbed onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and, burying his face in her neck, continued to weep. In that moment, she knew he understood how she felt—the depth of her feelings for him, her hopes for their future, and her fear that it would contain only loss and heartache.
But she couldn’t let those things go unsaid. So she pulled away and lifted his face to hers, cradling his head in her hands.
‘You should know I composed that for you.’
‘You did?’ He hugged her closer and she nodded.
‘You should know, too, that I love you more than words can say.’ She smiled and touched her forehead to his. ‘Which is why I put my feelings into a song.’
His eyes burned for her, and pulling her close, he captured her mouth with his. Their kiss held so much healing, so much promise, she was sure they could conquer anything and everything together.
When they finally broke apart, Dean spoke, and it was as if he were injecting as much truth into his voice as he knew how. ‘I love you, Alyssa. And I want to be by your side. No matter what happens.’
Emotion clogged her throat and tears threatened, but she fought to keep them at bay. ‘Before you make any promises, you need to know that my treatment could take months. I’ll probably lose my hair, lose weight, be sick all the time. Things won’t be the same.’
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. ‘But you won’t lose your bravery, or that fire in your eyes that makes me want to stare at them all day long.’
She made a noise somewhere between a laugh and a sob. ‘That’s the corniest thing anyone’s ever said to me.’
He pumped a fist in victory, and this time, her laugh was real.
Growing serious again, he ran his thumb over her cheek. ‘I’ve never felt this way about anyone, so this is all new territory for me. But I know I can’t walk away. I don’twantto walk away.’ He kissed her forehead when her tears spilled over. ‘I want to be here for you, Alyssa. Just like you were there for me when we went skydiving. I’ll be in the plane, right beside you. I’ll jump first and promise to kiss you when it’s all over. If you’ll let me.’
As much as she worried how he’d cope if the worst happened, she couldn’t send him away. He wanted to be there for her in the same way she’d been there for him.
