Page 31 of Remember (Symbols of Love 2)

I look at her and see that her face, her beautiful face with its hues of caramel and honey, is flushed, her eyes watching our joined hands. I decide to leave it alone and go back to our original conversation.

“I won’t interfere with your party planning. I promise.” I tug at her hand to get her to look at me. And when she does, what I see in her eyes causes my hope to surge like a geyser. Her expression says, she doesn’t want me to go, she doesn’t want to say no to me, and she's feeling everything I'm feeling.

It’s like the time we lost just disappeared. I know it hasn’t. But it fucking feels like it. I know we can’t just pick up where we left off, but I want to pick up where we are now.

“I’d like the chance to get to know you again. You were my best friend.”

Her eyes search mine and mine search hers. I see everything she feels—she never could hide from me. Her confusion, her fear, her joy . . . and I just decide to lay it all out. “I love you. I never stopped feeling that way, and I know that you feel it, too.” This makes her head snap up.

“Dean—” I cut her off. I feel like I'm standing on the edge of a cliff and there is a fifty-fifty chance I’ll soar or I’ll crash. I decide to jump because I’d rather crash trying to fly than be safe without her. And the upside is so sweet, I can barely think straight.

“I want a chance, Milly. With you. For us. I know a lot of water has passed under this bridge, and I know we have a lot to talk about. But, I also know I’ve never needed another human being before you. And I need you. I remember myself, the real me, when I’m with you. I remember who I was before everything went to shit.”

“Dean—” She's more aggressive this time, but I'm determined to get it all out.

“Please, you don’t have to say anything right now. Just think about it. I feel like I’ve been given a second chance, and I don?

?t want to lose you again.” I know I'm begging, but nothing has ever felt more important than this.

“Dean! Stop!” she shouts and looks startled by her own voice.

I stop, but I don’t unlink our hands. I don’t look away from her. I want her to see my unflinching determination.

She releases a long breath and her shoulders relax.

“I don’t know what to say. In the last week, you’ve completely thrown me for a loop. Seeing you again. Finding out you set the whole thing up so that you could talk to me. Getting sick and waking up to find you in my house. Finding out you’ve been here for three days, living here, taking care of my son—of me. That alone is a lot to process. But everything you’ve just said is a lot to absorb. I need time to think.”

Her eyes are shining as bright as freshly polished gold coins. I see a plea for patience in them and I decide to back off.

“Do you want me to leave?” Right now, I’d do whatever she asked. I know I’ve pushed her enough for today, and the last thing I want is to make Milly uncomfortable in her own home.

She considers me for a long moment, her eyes always the window to her heart, answering the question before she speaks.

“No, I don’t. I’ve missed you, too. But don’t you have to get back to your own place? You must have so much else to do besides staying here to take care of me.”

“Actually, I have been working pretty well from here. Cristal rescheduled all of my meetings this week, and I’ve been able to do most of them by phone. I had my suitcase in the car, so I’ve got everything I need. And I don’t want to leave you. Or little dude. I do need to get back to New York on Friday, but until then, I’m at your disposal.” I look at her hopefully while she considers me for a long moment.

“Okay, well, I won’t turn down the offer for an extra pair of hands and for the chance to spend some time with you. And thank you for taking care of Anthony,” she says with a shy smile.

She glances at her watch.

“Speaking of, it’s almost time to go and get him.”

I grab my phone from the table. “I have an alarm set. I’ve been using it to make sure I leave the house on time every day.”

She smiles. “Really? Wow, Dean. I don’t even know how you figured it all out.”

“Well, you’ve got a smart kid who knows his schedule. And I looked up the school’s address online. He’s easy and fun. You’ve done a great job with him.”

She beams at me, her pride obvious. “Yeah, he's pretty great. I’m glad he wasn’t any trouble.”

I grin. “I didn’t say that. He hates doing his spelling homework and probably conned me into giving him way too many snacks.”

She laughs out loud at this. “He’s very persuasive when he wants something.” Her laugh turns into a cough and it reminds me she’s still sick and hasn’t eaten anything since I got here.

“Hey, you must be starving. The doctor said to start you off with bland food. Can I get you some toast?”

“I’m actually really tired again, but I'm so hungry I could eat my own foot,” she says with another smile that is so her it totally disarms me.

---