Page 70 of Restoration
He’s blurted all this out without even a pause for breath. He blinks like he’s surprised himself and then continues more slowly. “I didn’t even know I was capable of love, but it’s something I’ve always wanted. I really was trying to be a good guy and do what you needed, but now that I’ve finally found everything I’ve dreamed of, I wasn’t okay with letting it go.”
“I didn’t want to go. I just didn’t know you loved me.”
“I’m not sure how such a smart woman was so clueless, but I guess it’s good you finally worked it out.”
I gasp in outrage and pull away from him. “I wasn’t clueless! You never told me!”
“Well, that’s because I was afraid you didn’t feel the same way. And do I really have to mention that you didn’t tell me either?”
I try to hold on to my indignation but fail. I giggle and grab for him again. “I was scared too. I couldn’t imagine you might love me for real. In the real world.”
“Well, I do.”
“That’s good. So at least we figured it out now.”
“Yeah.” He brushes sweet kisses against my hair. “We’ve figured it out now.”
***
FOUR MONTHS LATER,I look at myself in the mirror to make sure my jeans and floral top are put on correctly and at least somewhat flattering and that my hair isn’t a mess.
This afternoon I’ve got my first class session in the graduate program I’m starting. It feels so strange to be getting ready for school after all these years.
Deciding I look decent (and prettier than I used to believe I actually was), I grab my bag and head downstairs to find Edmund.
As soon as we admitted our love, I moved upstairs to share the master suite with him. Maybe it was too soon to move in together like that, but it didn’t seem very fast to us. We’ve known each other for years. We’ve lived together in one way or another for years. And it’s impossible to share each other’s lives more deeply than we did on the island.
So, if anything, moving upstairs with Edmund was almost anticlimactic. Like an inevitability rather than an enormous step.
Ever since, we’ve fallen into a life and a routine that’s made me happier than I could have ever dreamed of. Edmund might have avoided romantic commitment all his life, but once he was in, he’s been in all the way.
I’m not sure any woman could have a more passionate, devoted, earnestly-in-love boyfriend than I have.
And now I’m finally able to do what I’ve wanted for so long and finish my MBA.
Some of my old credits didn’t transfer to this new degree, but some of them did. If I buckle down, I can probably finish in no more than a year and a half.
I’m excited.
There are so many things for me to be excited about now.
I chat for a minute with Alicia, who is polishing the floor of the entry hall. When she says that Edmund is in the office, I head down the hall to find him.
He’s been spending a lot more time in the office recently. Right now I don’t find him behind the desk, however. He’s sprawled out on the sofa.
“Are you taking a nap?” I ask with laughter in my voice as I step into the room.
“No. I’m trying to recover.”
“Have you had a bad day?” I set my bag on the floor and walk over to sit on one end of the couch, lifting his head to make room for myself and then settling his head on my lap. “Did the meeting not go well?”
He doesn’t resist the move. He moans softly as I stroke his hair. “The meeting was okay. But it’s been exhausting. In addition to that meeting this morning, I’ve had four talks with other people—two on the phone and two on Zoom. And they’ve all been frustrating and annoying and nothing ever seems to get done. It’s like running into endless brick walls.”
After recovering from the trip, Edmund has poured himself into projects and outreach programs he never spent much time on before. He’s been particularly excited about a nonprofit that provides help and mentorship to orphaned boys in the area since it hits so close to home for him. But his primary project recently has been arranging protection for our island.
It’s always been safe and untouched because no one knew about it, but the publicity surrounding our rescue and return has brought it more attention. The island, however, has never been claimed by a country, and so it’s unclear who might be responsible for preserving it.
Terrified that a developer might just lay claim to it and turn it into some sort of resort, Edmund has been working like crazy to keep it safe. He had to form a lobbying group to have a platform to communicate with leaders and legislators and diplomats, and he’s sunk a ton of money into the effort.