Page 152 of Blossoms of the Heart
Chapter 31
Tai
* * *
One last cigarette, and no more.
I lit up and took a draw.
I didn’t want to smoke today, but such as life. I was nervous as hell.
Part of me wished I didn’t lose my mind and give Phoebe an ultimatum.
It was however the best thing to do and needed to be done.
We could never have gone on like that.
It was ten to seven. People had already started filling up the museum. It had been reserved for tonight’s festivities.
For the years that I’d been back in Japan I’d gone down by the river with Akito on the last day of Obon to light a candle for Rukia.
I skipped it today.
I wasn’t in the right frame of mind.
I’d been here for about twenty minutes. Early as always with my nerves building.
I didn’t know why I did these things to myself.
Fuck, what if she didn’t turn up? What if it got to seven and I went inside the function hall and she was there?
That would mean she’d decided to give up on us. Would she do that?
I’d have to leave her alone.
I just hoped she loved me.
I closed my eyes and leaned back on the pillar behind me.
In my mind’s eye I could see her beautiful, elegant. My girl.
I’d never felt so conflicted in my life, but then I’d never wanted anyone so badly as I wanted Phoebe.
I opened my eyes again and thought I’d imagined up the image of her standing before me on the top steps leading up to the water fountain.
Then she moved and I realized that she was real.
My eyes actually welled up with tears.
Fuck, this so wasn’t me. Me wanting to cry tears of joy because the woman I loved just came through for me.
When she sped up towards me I couldn’t contain myself. I moved to her too and swept her up in my arms.
In her heels she was taller and caught me at my chin. She reached up and guided my lips to hers, kissing me.
People passed and saw us but I didn’t care. I kissed her back with reckless abandon, wanting to consume her.
“I love you.” She breathed against my lips.
