Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 113142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 566(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113142 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 566(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
“I forgive you,” she whispered. “We made mistakes. What my mother did wasn’t a mistake. She was being cruel.”
“They kept me away from you, Nightingale. When I got back to a place where I could get my messages, I found four from you—the last one telling me you didn’t want to see me again.”
“I didn’t send that.” Her voice was emphatic.
“I know that now. I came home and tried to find you. Vivian told me you quit your job, your place was up for sale, I couldn’t get hold of Emma, and your mother…” My voice trailed off, and I clenched my hands, thinking about her words and the almost sick enjoyment she got out of my pain.
“What did she say?”
I repeated the words her mother flung at me and the fake text I fell for. Ally’s eyes filled with tears and anger as she shook her head rapidly. I took her face in my hands, cupping her cheeks. “I know it was all lies now. She wanted me gone, and she got her wish. I let her defeat me, and I packed up and went back to Africa and helped build a new clinic. I thought, with time and distance, I could get over you. I hoped you could come back and pick up your life here, without me interfering.”
“But you left me a message before you left.”
I brushed the tears from her face. “You heard that?”
She nodded. “Last night, when everything came back, I called your number—I could remember it, and I wanted to hear your voice. I heard what you said. That’s when I knew there was so much more to this than I could handle myself and I had to come to you. I grabbed my things and left.” She covered my hand with hers, stroking the rough skin gently. “You thought I’d left you, and you still loved me?”
“I’ll always love you. Nothing can change that. Your mother and Bradley failed. I came back to find you.”
“I can’t believe Bradley did this. I don’t understand why or how they thought they’d get away with it.”
“I think when they found out how much of your memory was missing, they decided to make sure they got what they’d wanted all along. I know you could never see it, but Bradley wanted more than friendship from you—even Emma could see how he felt. This was his chance. Bradley got you, and your mother got rid of me. Your mother kept you in Calgary, supposedly for you to heal. He accepted a job there. I think once you married Bradley and left Toronto for good, even if you got your memory back, they’d convince you I’d been the one to walk away from you, not the other way around—and probably tell you I never came back when they got word to me that you’d been hurt. I’m sure they had all their bases covered.”
She shook her head in disbelief. “I can’t even fathom—”
“It doesn’t matter now. They failed. They were overconfident, and they made a big mistake.”
“Coming back here?”
I nodded. “Fucking big mistake. I know they checked and thought I was gone indefinitely. Your mother wanted the big social aspect—to show off you marrying the right, acceptable, kind of man. One she and Ronald approved of. So, they had the party here, for their circle. They had no idea I would show up.” I breathed out a huge sigh. “Thank God I came back.”
Ally ran her hand over her temple.
“Is your head hurting?” I asked, concerned. “We can stop and talk more later.”
“It still hurts sometimes, but not as much,” she admitted. For a minute, she worried her lip, looking anxious. “I’m not–I’m not the same as before, Adam.”
“What do you mean?”
“I get headaches, and sometimes I’m confused and forgetful. I don’t know if that’ll get better or not. I tire easily. I have a limp, which makes me a little clumsy at times. I’m not quite me anymore, so I’ve been told.”
“Is that what they’ve been telling you?” I asked, keeping my voice low.
“My mother told me time and again I was lucky Bradley was so in love with me, that he would overlook my, ah, drawbacks. Even Bradley said things—he’d say he was teasing, but it hurt. My mother, though, especially likes to tell me how, ah, diminished I am now.”
Deep, clawing rage filled me. How fucking dare they say that to her? I closed my eyes. “I don’t believe in hitting women, but I’d really like to slap your mother. And then beat the living shit out of Bradley.”
“Adam—”
I leaned forward, speaking slowly so she understood what they’d been telling her was bullshit. “Listen to me, Ally. You are in no way diminished. You’re still you—the woman I love. I don’t care if you walk with a limp. I’ll carry you if that’s what you need. If you forget something, I’ll remind you. If you’re confused, tell me, and I’ll explain it to you until you aren’t confused anymore. When you’re tired, I’ll watch over while you sleep. I’ll do all that happily until we’re old and gray if that’s how it is. I don’t care. You’re still nothing but perfect in my eyes. You always will be.” I paused to brush my lips across hers. “I love you. I will always love you. No matter what.”