“This girl,” Marti begins before she turns to wink at me. “This girl of ours is one tough cookie. We were scared, but she showed us that she could handle anything.”
I sit back and take in the moment. The man I love, and my grandma already share such a strong bond.
“What about Bizzy?” Marti asks. “She ran onto the street after you. I saw her fall on her knees.”
Barrett explained that to me on the way here. After he ran into the street to save me, Bizzy took off after him. She only made it a few inches before one of her sandals flew off and she tumbled onto her knees on the hard pavement.
My grandma watched as Barrett grabbed my hand and swung me out of the way of the oncoming traffic. We fell to the street together, with his body shielding mine from the asphalt. My head hit, but the blow was softened because his arm was under my neck.
Barrett said it happened so fast that by the time Marti was on the street, he was on his feet rushing to help his sister.
“It was just a cut knee.” Barrett turns to face me. “It scared her though. She knew Bella was bleeding from her nose. That’s what she told my father when I got her back home.”
Sorrow pools inside of me over what she must have felt and what Barrett’s been through since that day.
“Everyone is good.” Marti brings her hands together to join mine with Barrett’s. “You two are in
love. One day I’ll have a grandbaby to love, and I’ll tell him or her about how brave their daddy and mommy are.”
“Grandma,” I bite out her name with a smile. “This is very new.”
“It’s not new,” she scoffs. “You met almost twenty years ago. You were meant to be together. Fate knows. I know. What more is there to know?”
Chapter 59
Bella
I roll onto my back. “I love this bed.”
“I love you,” Barrett reaches for my bare hip. “I love every inch of you, Isabella.”
I snuggle closer to him.
We stripped naked once we got back to his new apartment after sharing a plate of lasagna and a glass of wine. Marti wanted us to stay, but I told her we needed time alone.
That brought her eyebrows up to her hairline. She whispered that I shouldn’t play it safe since she wants a grandson who looks like Barrett.
I kissed her goodbye, and for the first time that I can remember, she didn’t tell me to look both ways before I crossed the street.
Today, she told me to be happy.
I can’t remember a time when I was this happy. I feel like my heart is going to explode out of my chest.
If this is love, I want to experience it forever.
“Tell me you love me, Bella.” Barrett runs a fingertip over my chin. “I’ve only watched you sign it. I want to hear it.”
Turning to face him, I kiss him softly before I whisper the three words. “I love you.”
“Louder.”
“I love you,” I say with more volume.
“Fucking scream it.” He laughs.
“I love you,” I shout as loud as I can.
He closes his eyes. “Who knew those words could feed a man’s soul?”