Left Behind

“I can drive the Charger?” Keller’s eyes light up like a kid on Christmas morning.

“Be careful with her.” I toss him the keys.

“I will.” He grins widely. There’s no way he’s not opening it up full throttle the minute he gets out of the parking lot, but I could care less. There’s one thing on my mind and that’s getting to Nikki.

***

I’m not even slightly winded when I make it to the top of the fifty-three-stair climb. My entire body is fueled with adrenaline; I could run up Mt. Kilimanjaro if it meant getting to see Nikki at the top.

I walk the narrow catwalk to the other side of the wide tower. Not surprisingly, they’re the only two up here. Ashley stands, clearing the view to Nikki who looks up to see where her friend is going at the same minute I catch sight of her. It knocks the wind right out of me.

I’m angry. I’m relieved. I’m so jumbled and filled with mixed emotions, I’m not sure whether to scream at her for leaving or to grab her and never let her go. The one thing I am absolutely, positively sure of in this moment is that I fucking love this girl. With everything I have. She’s in my heart and soul. Never in my life have I ever felt so strongly about anything. It almost feels as if my whole life has been a series of tests, just so I could get the answers wrong and know when it’s finally right.

Ashley smiles wearily, nods and slips past me wordlessly, quickly making her way down the stairs. Nikki and I hold each other’s gaze for a long moment. I see pain and sorrow in her eyes that almost makes me break right on the spot.

I approach her slowly, bending at the knees so we’re eye level. I feel like my heart is completely exposed and she can either chose to take it or to break it into a million little pieces. Looking at her, one thing’s for certain: if she takes it, I’ll never get it back. But she’s worth the chance of putting it all out there.

“Hi,” I say quietly.

“Hi.” she whispers back. Her blue-green eyes flicker with what I think is hope. I move in closer. She looks away, unable to hold the intensity of my stare. Gently, I cup her cheek and force her gaze back to me.

“I don’t understand.” She pauses. “What are you doing here?”

“I came for you.”

“Why?” she hesitates, her eyes darting from mine.

“You have to ask why I came for you? Don’t you know how I feel about you?”

“I thought I knew.”

“How I feel about you hasn’t changed. Except maybe my feelings have grown stronger.”

“Really? Do you always lie to the people who you feel strongly about?”

“I didn’t lie.”

“You told me you barely remembered even passing lighthouses. That they were our special place. I saw the picture of you and Emily on her mirror, Zack.”

“It was a school trip in tenth grade. We went on a boat ride around the harbor. I didn’t even remember there was a lighthouse there.”

“And Dr. Bennett at the hospital? He’s just a family friend?”

I blow out a breath. “I’m sorry. I had no idea he was your father. I swear. You had just found out you couldn’t find out about your sister for a few months. You were disappointed. Upset. I didn’t want to make it worse.” I pause. “I know it’s a stretch, but he is a family friend. He’s been our neighbor for ten years.”

“But why would Mrs. Bennett tell me you knew, if you didn’t?”

“I know she found you at the cemetery and what she said to you. Dr. Bennett found out and told me. He’s devastated you found out this way. She just wanted you out of town. She was worried people would find out her husband had an affair. But he’s not like her, Nikki. Not at all. He loved your mother and he loves you. She’s a bitter person. My mother told me Dr. Bennett moved out of the house last night. I guess it took this to make him see how bad it really was.”

She’s scared, I see it in her eyes. They warm when they meet mine, but she quickly withdraws. “Do you wish I was Emily when you’re with me, Zack?”

I wince. Hearing her ask the question causes me physical pain. “I’ve never wished anything, when I was with you except for time to stand still.”

She eyes me wearily.

“I don’t understand why this was our path, but I know fate brought us together.” I say without wavering.

Nikki’s face softens. Our eyes meet, but she quickly looks away again.

“Look at me.” Her eyes jump back to mine. “I’m in love with you.” Our gaze finally locks. I brush the hair behind her ear and cup both her cheeks in my hands. “When you’re not around, I’m lonely in a room full of people.” I pause. “Everything is better with you. I’m better with you.”

A tear rolls down her cheek.

“No crying.” I wipe it away with my thumb.

She hesitates, but smiles a little.

“God, I missed that smile.” I look down at her lips.

She smiles a little wider.

“I missed those lips too.” With all her sexy curves, it’s the curve of her mouth into a smile that does me in.

Chapter 43

Nikki

His mouth crushes against mine, the intensity and rawness of the kiss jarring me at first, but I quickly melt into him. I’m breathless by the time he pulls his head back. But I fall hard, losing everything else around us, when he kisses me again, this time beautifully gentle. Our eyes locked, he gazes at me as he worships my mouth with feather-light kisses from one corner all the way around and back again. Then he kisses me so deeply, so full of emotion that he steals my heart along with my breath.