Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 115833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
We made a short drive to the Outer Banks so the ride wouldn’t wear him out, but there was one night of the trip that stuck with me most. One that would haunt my dreams so badly they would keep me awake at night.
We sat by the pool as the sun set and the ocean waves roared in the distance. I didn’t want to go inside yet, but Lew was tired and ready to lie down. I helped him with a shower, assisted with the pajamas, then got him into bed.
Afterward, I brushed his buzz-cut hair. There wasn’t much of it left, but he loved the feel of the soft bristles on his scalp. He used to have gorgeous curls, which I’d apply moisturizer and water to so I could comb them and make them bouncier. I had done it all the time before he got sick, and he’d loved it, said he’d never had his hair played with before.
Lewis caught my eye as I placed the brush down and smiled up at me.
“What is it?” I asked, smiling back.
“You’re just so beautiful, Davina.”
His words caught me completely off guard, along with the wide, proud smile taking over his face, and the shine in his eyes. He had a cute smile. One of his front teeth was slightly chipped at the tip—hardly noticeable unless you were up close and personal with him. He told me it chipped while he was playing a free game of football with his friends.
“Come here.” Lewis reached for me, and I climbed onto the bed to lie next to him. He was quiet for a moment. While he was, I listened to the dishes clinking in the kitchen as Wilmer cleaned up.
“I can’t stop thinking about when we first met,” Lew said with a soft laugh. “How upset you got when I bumped into you and spilled your popcorn all over the floor.”
I laughed at the reminder. “I think I had a right to be upset. Movie popcorn ain’t cheap, and I was already broke.”
“You’re right. It’s not cheap. But I bought you another one—a jumbo size, remember? With a Diet Coke?”
“I remember.” I stroked the tiny bits of fuzz on his chin and jaw as my brows dipped. “What are you getting at, Lew?”
His hazel eyes glistened as he looked into mine. I sat up straighter as his lips parted, and it was like he had so much to say but couldn’t articulate the words.
“Babe, what is it?” I asked. “What’s wrong?”
“You were the prettiest woman I’d ever seen, Davina,” he said after a sharp exhale. “I remember thinking that I wanted to marry you right on the spot. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s like all these moments flashed before me when I looked into your eyes that day. I could see you walking down the aisle to marry me, us buying a house together and me kissing you at the threshold while I held you in my arms. Making love . . . having kids . . .”
At the last statement, his eyes dropped, and his throat bobbed when he swallowed. A tear ran down his cheek and landed on the top of my hand. My throat closed in on itself as I placed my fingers to his chin and tipped his head back up.
I wanted to cry. Badly. But I also wanted to keep my emotions level. Lew hardly ever talked like this.
“Why are you saying all of this?” I asked in a quiet voice.
“Because I want you to know that even though we vowed to spend the rest of our lives together, you should be happy. Whether I’m here or not.”
“Lew.” I shook my head, swallowing to soothe the burn in my throat. “Stop.”
He took one of my hands in his and squeezed it tight. “I mean it, Vina. I want you to be happy. No matter what happens to me, I want you to live on, baby. I know the last year has been brutal, and you’re wanting things I can’t give you.”
“Lew. I mean it.”
“You can talk to other people,” he went on, ignoring me. “You can be with someone else and let them make you happy, just like I did. You can fall in love again, so long as you’re living your best life.”
“Stop talking like that. Please,” I pleaded, but the words came out hoarse and thick.
Oh, God. My chest was hurting so badly. The dam was going to break if he kept going.
Lew smiled at me as he used his free hand to swipe one of my tears away. “I love you, Vina Boo. But I know you, and I don’t want you shutting the world out when I’m gone.”
“You’re not going anywhere,” I countered, fighting a sob. “You’re here to stay, Lewis. You’re here, and you’re mine, and we did not fall in love just for it to be cut short. We didn’t. You can still beat this.”