Page 86 of Just Friends

“More than anything. I need to clear something up now. That night in the kitchen when you made dinner, I wasn’t freaked out about it being too domestic or whatever…I realized what I’d missed by not having a mom. I’d never come home to a woman cooking for me, giving me unconditional love.”

Rebecca’s heart squeezed until it cracked in two. Then she left him.

“You came back,” Weasel replied as if reading her thoughts.

“The second Dalton called… I’m so sorry for everything—"

“Shhh. You’ve already apologized. I love you.”

Relief flowed through her, and her heart might explode from happiness. “I love you too.”

Weasel smiled. “Ya know, I’d decided to go to Chicago too.”

“What?”

“If you would have me, I’ll move there with you.”

“What about your job?”

“Well, I hear Chicago has a police department.”

“Why would you?”

“Babe, if you need to chase a dream, I’ll go to Chicago, Baltimore, Dallas, Timbuktu. I need to be with you and don’t care where.”

It took everything she had not to jump on top of him. “In truth,” she inhaled deeply, “I don’t want to live in Chicago again or anywhere else, and haven’t wanted to for a while, but…”

“The promise to your mom.”

Rebecca nodded. She would lay it all out and see what happens. “That and after everything I’d been through, I swore off relationships. And then things happened between us, the spark thatI felt scared me.”

“Why?”

“Cause if the quiet, reserved guy could turn into what he was behind closed doors. What on earth would a loud, tough guy like you be like when angry…” breathing became difficult. Weasel squeezed her hand.

“Rebecca,” he whispered, “look at me, please.” Rebecca pulled it together and turned to him.

“I will never—"

“I know that,” she interrupted.

“Mentally, yes. But I want you to know it emotionally, without question. I will never, ever hurt you.”

“You’re different than I’d first thought, and you love me.” Tears were falling again, this time happy ones.

“I do love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Say it again.”

Rebecca smiled. “I love you.”

???

Rebecca practically floated down the hallway to the ICU waiting room where her group of loyal and nosey friends were parked in chairs, all waiting for this moment. But she didn’t turn the door handle. Not yet. Rebecca rounded the corner and got out her phone.

“Hi mom,” she said when Ellen answered.