Follow Me Back (Fight for Me 2)

His voice grew thick, and moisture grew heavy in my eyes.

What was he doing?

Ruining me. That’s what. I had no idea how I was going to make it through this. And still, nothing felt more right than him standing up there.

He let his gaze bounce around the room. “I’m standing up here tonight with the great honor of introducing our next charity represented here this evening, A Lick of Hope. A Lick of Hope is a foundation created to support children born with heart defects and their families.”

He looked down at the folded sheet of paper he’d brought up with him and cleared his throat before he started to read it.

“A Lick of Hope has raised over two hundred fifty thousand dollars this year alone,” he said. “Their mantra reads, ‘Anything is possible if you have A Lick of Hope.’ After having the honor of getting to know this charity’s head and its inspiration, an amazing little boy who taught me exactly what that hope looks like, I am now a true believer of this statement.”

My ribs squeezed my heart. Or maybe it was just my heart that was struggling to break out. Desperate for its match.

His head dropped for a moment, as if he were gathering himself, before he looked up and met the crowd. “As physicians, we wake up each day with a huge burden on our shoulders. The health and wellbeing of the little people we get to see and treat. Sometimes that burden can be overwhelming. Wearing. Scary.”

Overcome, he sucked in a breath. Finally, he pressed on, “A Lick of Hope was created and is headed by an incredible woman and her son who reminded me what being a doctor is truly about. It’s about faith and belief and never, ever giving up, no matter how hard it might be. That even through our losses, our failures, we get up and fight all over again.”

My blood thundered through my veins, a torrent of emotion when he turned that magnetic, knowing gaze on me.

That connection pulsed.

Alive.

Begging and prodding.

“I am so incredibly proud to introduce the heart of A Lick of Hope, Harley Hope Masterson.”

A thunder of applause echoed through the room, and tears broke free of my eyes. Overwhelmed, I pushed to standing on my high heels, still caught in the stare of this beautiful man.

Evan was beaming up at me, getting onto his knees on his chair as he frantically waved his hands in the air.

My child unable to hear the sound but no doubt swept up in the vibration.

I touched his sweet chin before I turned and headed for the steps that led to the stage.

Wobbly.

Lightheaded.

Because this man made me that way.

Vulnerable and shaky as he stared down at me as if I were his world.

Hope.

It threatened to bloom in my spirit.

I beat it back and focused on what tonight was all about.

I moved through the intensity that bellowed from the walls.

At the bottom step, I just . . . stopped. Turned around and stretched my hand out for my son.

He was just as big a part of this endeavor as I was.

Truthfully, more.

The inspiration of it.

The lifeblood of it.

And he’d worked his little fingers to the bone helping me make those lollipops.

His grin was magnetic when he saw my invitation. So huge when he scrambled down from his chair and raced for my side.

The room lit up in awws and whistles and sweet sounds for my son.

My miracle boy.

I gathered his hand in mine and we moved up the steps toward Kale.

Kale who stepped back and stuffed his big hands in his pockets and stared at us with this adoring, proud, sorrowful expression on his face.

So sincere.

For a moment, we were stuck there, lost to the other, before he leaned in and brushed his lips against my cheek. “I am so proud of you.”

Energy flashed.

Ignited.

Chills racing across my flesh.

He ran his knuckle across Evan’s cheek before he turned and headed down the side steps and down the aisle.

Barely able to stand, I moved to the microphone with Evan’s hand still wrapped in mine.

I swatted at the tears clouding my vision, clearing my throat as I released a nervous laugh and looked out at the still-cheering crowd.

“Thank you all so much for being here. I know A Lick of Hope is a small charity compared to others here, but it means the entire world to me, and I’m incredibly honored to be invited to speak tonight.”

I lifted Evan’s hand in the air. “And this little boy . . . Evan . . . he’s the reason I’m here tonight.”

My tongue darted out to wet my dried lips, still feeling the weight of Kale’s stare from where he’d moved to the very back of the room at the entrance doors.

“When my son was born, the first thing I wanted to know was if he had ten fingers and ten toes, and when I held him for the first time, whole and perfect in my arms, I’d never been so happy in all my life. I had no idea that we soon would be in for the fight of our lives.”