Page 66 of Spell Ya Later

Us.

“Hey, you.” The concern in his eyes is accompanied by a kindness I can’t begin to feel worthy of. He moves quickly across the room to my side.

My breath of relief is immediate and intense as he touches me and the electric buzz slides up my arm.

“Missed you,” I whisper, practically yanking on him.

He tumbles a bit, but steadies himself and lowers onto the bed beside me. “Come here, baby.”

I slowly nuzzle into his open arms, pressing my face into his chest and inhaling. His arms gently wrap around me, soothing my heart for the first time.

My eyes burn as the emotions from the last week threaten to overwhelm me. The safety I feel in his arms has allowed me to feel too safe. Feel too open. And I’m ready to crack. Ready to admit how genuinely terrified I was.

Am.

How hurt I am about Laura and Mom, how abandoned I feel. I almost died, and they’re gone.

I would never leave them. Clearly the feeling isn’t mutual.

“I’ll give you two some time,” Grandma says. She was here? The door closes behind her and I bury my face deeper into him.

“How do you smell so good after being sick for an entire week? Don’t expect that from me.” Noah kisses the top of my head.

I chuckle, my body protesting the movement. “Dork.”

I pull away to grab the covers, insisting he get under them with me. I want proper cuddles, and that’s not happening if he’s not in my blanket nest with me. He gets the message and wraps himself around me within my cocoon.

“What were you and Grandma laughing about?” The curiosity is eating me alive.

He shakes his head. “That’s between us. Ask something else.”

“Fine. Then at least tell me what you’ve been doing this week. I need an update on you.” I need to get my mind off me.

He sighs, kissing my forehead. “You mean other than worrying about you?”

“Definitely. Anything other than me.”

“I went to work, went to the bookstore, went running every morning, went to see Nonna Ricci.” He seems to search his mind. “Oh! We had a guys’ night on Wednesday.”

“Guys’ night,huh? Tell me more.” I wiggle a little, snuggling into his embrace.

“Don’t get too excited. It was just Benji and Jason. We played some video games and ate a bunch of food.”

My eyelids droop despite myself. “Benji is the one I saw at the bar? He hit on Laura?”

Noah chuckles. “That’s the one. Never did handle breakups well. I hope he didn’t bother her.”

“Nahhh, she’s used to it. She’s the pretty one.” Am I slurring?

“To me, Hazel, you are the most beautiful person in the entire world.”

“You don’t have a choice.”

My response makes his body tense. Makes my body tense. I meant it as a joke, but he doesn’t know the punchline.

Do I really believe that? Yes, he’s my soulmate, but that doesn’t mean he has no choice, does it? He has a choice. He could choose to leave me. He won’t die if he’s not with me or something dramatic like that. I still have to earn his love and respect by treatinghimwith love and respect.

“Hazel . . .”