Page 121 of Only You
‘It’s not like I don’t understand why.’
She tapped her foot anxiously, head still down. When she spoke, her voice was rough with unshed tears. ‘I’m sorry.’ She finally looked at him, eyes reddened and lips trembling. ‘I don’t enjoy hurting you. I never wanted to hurt you. Not then or now. I just… I don’t know. I can’t…’
‘Hey,’ he said softly, taking her hand in his. Her fingers were slender, but the tips were rough from years of playing cello. He liked that he could feel her dedication.
‘This thing between us has never been simple,’ he whispered. ‘We can’t stop the world from being against us.’
‘I just don’t understand how we… or rather Demir and Damien could be so brave, when Selene and Sabine couldn’t.’
Jones sighed, shrugging weakly. ‘I don’t know if it was bravery,’ he confessed. ‘Maybe it was selfishness, too, wanting things I— we couldn’t have.’
She didn’t say anything, instead moving so they were hip to hip, her head resting on his shoulder. The scent of her hair – cocoa butter, almond and rosemary – filled his nose, and all at once he just wanted to fall into her. He squeezed her hand, hoping he wouldn’t have to let go anytime soon.
‘I think we’re also not good at being fair to each other either.’
He huffed out a small laugh. ‘There’s… room for improvement,’ he agreed.
Dani giggled before sitting up, her face mere inches from his. ‘Okay. Let’s make up new endings for our lives. We can call it Alternative History.’
‘And this is helpful how?’
‘Well, the worst has already happened, which means we can only go up from here. I mean, why not? We’re here. We’re alive and together again,’ she pointed out. ‘So, Damien’s alternative life: go.’
‘Okay, umm… Sabine never went back in the house,’ he started. ‘We escape the estate and go to the countryside, get a plot of land to farm on and rebuild our lives.’
‘We move to Monaco,’ Dani added, a smile forming on her face. ‘We start a whole new life, have a kid or two.’
‘Of course,’ Jones jumped in. ‘Teach them to fight and everything.’
Dani grinned before continuing. ‘We get a home with an ocean view and live happily ever after.’
‘Pass down the house, which the kids can sell and start their own lives.’ ‘Look at you, being practical.’
‘Says the girl who picks an oceanfront house in one of the most expensive places in the world.’
She giggled, rolling her eyes playfully and pulling their hands into her lap while he resisted lowering his arm to wrap it around her. They weren’t quite there yet.
‘Next, David and Sarah,’ he said. ‘David finds a better shelter and Sarah is able to get actual medical attention.’
‘They survive the bombs, become close due to their experience, and move out of London. It would take a little time, but I think they would get married. No kids, though,’ Dani chimed in.
‘It would probably be too much for them.’ The words were gloomy, but he doubted Sarah and David would have been sad with that particular outcome of their lives. He knew from experience that being alive and in love made up for a lot.
‘Okay, what about Demir and Selene?’ Dani asked.
‘Easy,’ he said. ‘Selene actually doesn’t show up to see Demir perform.’
‘They catch up later on and Selene realises she wants to move on, too,’ Dani adds. ‘She probably even packs a bag in the middle of the night, but she decides to give Jack one more try.’
‘Meanwhile, Demir doesn’t go into the alley that night. He starts dating but doesn’t quite feel the same connection as he did with Selene.’
Dani smirked. ‘I stay on your mind, huh?’
‘Eh…’ He pinches his fingers close together, earning a laugh. ‘Keep going.’
‘Okay, okay. So, Selene breaks up with Jack right before their elopement. Leaves a note on the bedside table and disappears in the middle of the night.’
‘Damn. Not even a wedding?’ Jones asked.
