With This Secret

“He’s going to be okay,” I assured her.

“He may not make it.” Her voice was shaky.

This was a fact neither of us could brush aside, or deny. “Perhaps, but he’s gone through the worst part. He’ll receive the best care money can buy. That should count for something.”

Her hold around me tightened. ‘Thank you, Levan, for being there, for getting me out of this mess. When I was hanging there on that cross, I was happy that at least I had told you I love you. Even if I had died, at least I told you the truth. And it is the truth, I love you beyond anything.”

“I love you too, my darling heart. Now and forever.”

Epilogue

Bianca

It was my birthday and I was feeling especially jittery.

Aldie and Biscuit came around to Levan’s house earlier this morning and it had been like old times. Though we’d spoken numerous times on the phone about everything that had happened since she came back from Spain and she’d helped me get the bakery back operating again, we hadn’t really got to spend quality time together. Especially with me taking care of Dad and running the bakery. Levan wanted me not to open the bakery so soon, but working actually made me feel better. I was used to working and being idle only made me worry about things I didn’t need to worry over.

It felt so amazing to see her again, and I threw my arms around her. All the love I’d always felt for her flowed through me. In fact, Levan and I were preparing a surprise for her. Well, not me, I guess, more Levan. He was planning to buy her a house in a good neighborhood. It was something she would never be able to afford on her own and so I couldn’t wait to see her face when we gave her the keys.

I hugged her like forever and only broke apart when Biscuit became jealous and started jumping all over the place while barking his little head off. We spent a couple of hours together and I gave her all the news of what was happening in my life.

Sarah Dale had recanted her allegations and explained that she made them up to protect her grandson. All charges against Levan had been dropped. Levan’s father had come to see me one evening. He kind of gave his reluctant approval. Coming from Levan’s father, it was a big compliment.

Interestingly, Levan said, Maxim might be getting married soon. To a girl from his childhood. Some kind of arranged marriage to consolidate two great families. The idea was completely foreign to me, but hey, everyone was different. I wished him nothing but a fantastic life. Without his help, Levan and I wouldn’t be together today. After Aldie left, I realized I hadn’t given her the most important news. I couldn’t. Not until I told Levan first.

And now it was almost that time …

My phone pinged with a text message, and I almost jumped out of my skin.

“Are you alright?” my father asked from opposite me.

I turned to him, hands covered in flour to see the concern in his gaze.

He was seated in his wheelchair, across from me in the kitchen, carefully cutting out the cookie dough I had rolled out for him.

“I’m fine.” I picked up my phone and looked at it. It was only my mobile network provider telling me a price increase in line with some new government regulation. I put the phone back on the counter with a sigh.

“We need a new batch of brownies,” Stacy called from the front of the bakery.

“Ready,” I said and quickly went over to the sink to wash my hands. I picked up the new batch of cooled brownies and carried them over to her. When I returned to the kitchen, I was just about to continue with kneading the dough when my dad spoke.

“Levan called me last night. You both doing okay?”

I smiled, thinking of his gray eyes sparkling with such love for me, his quiet voice, full of caution, and his smile, kind and laced with mischief. “Yeah, we’re doing okay.”

My phone pinged again.

I pulled it out of my pocket, not caring that it was being stained with flour. I held my breath to check the message, hoping that it was from him.

It was.

I pulled it open and saw he had sent a very long message to me.

My heart began to pound in my chest as I began to read. When I realized what it was, I wanted to sink into the floor. It was the message I had sent to Levan over two years ago.

“Okay this will be long, but please read through it. I’m drowning in work right now, but I’m still going to check for your reply like every 30 seconds, even though it will pop up on my screen when it comes … It’s mentally draining, I can tell you now. How do I know? Because I’m always waiting for you to call. You see, I’ve fallen in love with you, Levan, and that’s why I’m surprising even myself and acting like a desperate moron, telling you all this.