Page 79 of Forbidden Whispers
When the time is right I’ll tell you what’s true,
My days are richer when they’re spent with you.
For now I’ll wait and let things be,
Till your love is mine and you set my dreams free.
I’m in love with you and I don’t wanna wake up,
’cause you’re my dream girl, livin’ in my dream world.
I’m in love with you and I don’t wanna wake up,
’cause you’re my dream girl, livin’ in my dream world.
With a final strum, the last note slowly faded to silence. Then the patio exploded with cheers and wild applause.
Maggie couldn’t see clearly anymore because tears had filled her eyes. She was aware of Noah stepping down from the stage. Aware that he was surrounded again by a flock of students who shook his hand and thumped him on the back. And finally, aware that he had returned to sit beside her once again. But she couldn’t look at him, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t believe what was happening.
The crowd of people chattered and milled around them. Finally, she lifted her eyes to meet his and everything else melted away. It was as if the two of them were alone in a room.
She was incredulous, her voice barely a whisper. “You wrote that song...”
He took her hands in his. “About you. Yes, Maggie, I did.”
Her heart swelled with a mixture of joy and disbelief as she tried to process what Noah had just revealed.
Noah continued. “Yesterday, after you told me you were dumping me as a client because you didn’t want to jeopardize our friendship, I was...devastated. I’ve wanted to be more than just friends with you ever since we met, Maggie. But I want to thank you for what you did. Because it gave me the kick in the butt I needed to do what you suggested.
“Last night I did a full analysis of myself regarding my FDFs. And when I did that, I discovered that you were right. I have been subconsciously sabotaging my dates, making certain that those relationships never led anywhere. And I finally understood why.”
“Why?” she breathed.
“Because,” he said, reaching to cup her face with one hand, “I’ve only been in love with one woman in my life. But I never told her. And she left me. So, over the years, I’ve unsuccessfully tried to find another woman who can fill that void. But I never can. Because there’s only one woman who can fill that void, Maggie. And that woman is you.”
Her mind was whirling. “Are you telling me...” Her voice broke.
He took a deep breath. “I’m telling you that I love you, Maggie Milena. That I’ve been in love with you since we were in high school together. That you are a woman who is incredibly worthy of love. And if you’re willing to give me a chance—”
“I love you too, Noah,” she whispered, cutting him off. Her eyes were completely blurry with tears again. But she felt like she was seeing clearly for the first time in her life. “I always have.”
Noah closed his eyes, as if savoring the weight of her words. Then he slowly opened them and looked deep into Maggie’s tear-filled gaze.
“I knew it!” he whispered, giving her one of his heart-wrenching lopsided grins. “But why didn’t you ever say anything?”
“Why didn’t you?” she exclaimed.
“I asked you first.”
She smiled and shook her head. “Because you always had a girlfriend hanging on your arm.”
“That was only because I knew there was no hope for me while you were dating the loser,” Noah said. “When you finally broke up with Joe, I thought I would have a chance. But it seemed like you were intent on confining me to the friend zone.”
“No, you did that!”
“Man,” he shook his head. “Were we a couple of insecure teenagers or what?”
She laughed.