Page 106 of Before Eve
I want to hug him, to rock him, to tell him everything is fine. But it’s not. We’re not the same.I’mnot the same.
“I love you,” he says the words, almost painfully.
“I love you, too,” I whisper, just as painfully.
Silence fills the air around us, and West takes on this sort of confused, scared look. “Ever since the first day I met you, I knew something was different. You had this barrier that intrigued me. I wanted to break through it and know you,reallyknow you.” West touches his fingers to my chest. “I wanted to know your heart,” he reaches up and touches my forehead, “and your mind, and the stronger our friendship became, the deeper I fell for you.”
He focuses on me with all the tenderness in his soul. “Sometimes I feel I can’t go another moment until I see you, or hear you, or touch you. I never thought I’d get such joy out of a simple thing like your smile.” He takes both my hands in his. “I admire and honor you. The things you went through humble me. Inside and out, you are the strongest, bravest person I’ve ever known.”
The beauty of his words brings me such strength, such power. Way down deep, something breaks free that I didn’t even know was there, and with it, my emotions swirl with light that brightens hidden dark corners.
West lifts my hand and nuzzles his cheek into my palm. “You’ve got a lot to deal with. You have my number, my email, my everything. I’ll wait however long. I promise you I will.”
A sense of maturity moves through me as I soak in his presence. “You have a career to get back to, and I have the fallout of my life to deal with. Give me time, okay?”
“Of course. I won’t crowd you. When you’re ready, call me. I’ll answer day or night.” He places a gentle kiss on my cheek that I lean into.
“Good-bye, West,” I whisper.
CHAPTER 51
Over the next several months,I don’t go anywhere. I don’t do anything. I lie low. I watch very little TV, and I don’t get on the internet. Eventually, the story dies down, the reporters stop hounding me, and something else in the world takes its place.
I start seeing a therapist and…healing. After a lifetime of emotions full of emptiness and darkness, I visualize the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s a wonderful thing to visualize.
Grayson never does go to trial. He is murdered in prison. I receive the news with indifference.
I testify at Noah’s trial. He receives life imprisonment for multiple counts of crimes against humanity. Amelia does as well as her own secrets are exposed. Her daughter is safely placed with a relative.
Brynn and her family continue to be solid for me, supporting, not pushing, letting me go through everything at my own pace.
Every once in a while, I’ll text West and he’ll text back. But what I love are our Saturday night calls.
Right on time, I dial his number.
He picks up on FaceTime. “Hi, beautiful.”
“Hi, handsome.” I note his background. “Are you home?”
“Yeah, just for the night.”
Vianca’s pretty face fills the screen. “Hi, Eve! Ooh, I love your hair.”
It’s been growing, and I just got it cut pixie again and highlighted. “Thanks!”
Vianca waves. “Okay, I’ll give you two privacy.”
After she wheels away, West settles back in a recliner. “How did the GED go?”
“Oh, fine.”
“You’re turning seventeen in two days. Are you excited?”
“Yeah, Brynn and I, we’re going camping for my birthday.”
“I didn’t know you were into camping.”
“I don’t know if I am.” I shrug. “Guess I’m going to find out.”
