“All right, thank you.”
“I'm the one who should be thanking you. Really, thank you very much, Devon. I'm in your debt,” I commented, and that was truly how I felt.
“Not at all. For me, it's a real pleasure to spend time with Aurora,” she affirmed, and I had no doubt she was speaking from the heart.
“I know, and I'm very sorry for having separated you from her. I made a mistake, I'm sorry. Aurora has missed you a lot; when she wakes up and sees you, she'll be very happy,” I apologized, because I was aware of my error in separating them.
“I'm sure we're going to have fun,” she affirmed, and I could hear the joy in her voice and wished I could be there to share that time with them.
“I have no doubt. I'd like to be with you both,” I stated, putting into words what I felt at that moment, though I knew that with that comment I was saying much more. “I'll let you rest. Good night, Devon, and thank you again for your help.”
“Good night.”
When she ended the call, I was surprised to find myself smiling. Talking to her had given me the strength I needed to put my next move into practice. I planned to win her over. I wanted my sweet doctor with me.
The next day began with long work meetings, and I barely had time to talk with Aurora. At one point in the afternoon, I called Devon to see how they were doing, but she spoke very little with me, simply telling me that her days off had been approved before immediately putting my daughter on the phone. At thatmoment, I questioned whether in our previous conversation I had been too direct with my comments and had made her uncomfortable, but the problem was that I intended to keep moving forward.
Talking with Aurora left me truly happy because she seemed very content. She didn't usually like talking much on the phone, but that afternoon she had answered all my questions and, whenever I asked if she liked being with Devon, she responded the same way, with a big and emphatic:Yiii.
I had lunch with Xavier and took the opportunity to tell him everything that had happened the night before. I got the impression that finding out Devon was back in my life, because that's how I felt about it, hadn't made him very happy, but that was his problem because I wasn't going to let him interfere between us.
“So, I should assume you're going to try to get back together with Devon,” he stated.
“I'm going to try.”
“Are you doing it out of gratitude?” he asked, looking at me seriously.
“Gratitude?”
Did he really think I was approaching her out of gratitude? I was sure he didn't actually believe that because Xavier knew me well enough not to think I would approach a woman for that reason.
“Well, until yesterday you weren't willing to take the risk and didn't want her near your daughter, and apparently the fact that she didn't refuse to take care of Aurora has made you change your mind.”
“It wasn't that,” I said, defeated, because I owed him an explanation.
“Then what?”
“Talking to her stirred something in me, I don't know what, but the desire to be with her again is immense.”
“Do you have feelings for Devon?” he asked, looking at me cautiously.
I looked at him not knowing how to respond because I'd been asking myself that same question since I met her. What the hell was it that I felt for Devon Dulcet?
“I don't know,” I finally said. “But I like her a lot and I feel very good when I'm with her.”
“So you understand that if you approach herthatcould grow and turn into something dangerous?”
“What do you mean?” I asked, though I knew perfectly well what he was referring to, that fateful emotion we all feared.
“Falling in love with Devon,” he said, as if I were stupid. “If you're not already.”
I said nothing.
“Very well,” he said, standing up. “It's time to get back to the meeting.”
“What I feel for her is different from anything I've felt before. She's special.”
“I'm well aware she's special,” was all he said.