Page 138 of The Replay

"You need to go back," Dom says softly.

I take a deep breath. The conversation took my fight away, leaving me empty… but not desolate. It's empty the way a glade is, surrounded by a dense forest, but welcoming wild grass, flowers, and sunlight. So much sunlight and the glorious view of endless blue skies.

It contrasts with the sadness in Mom's eyes, and the confusion in Dad's. It's okay. Just passing clouds. With enough time, they'll find a way to process my words. I hope.

I put a hand on Dom's stomach, and gaze at my parents. "If that's true, then we'll need to work on it. You'll have a chance to explain how all you want is to see me happy. And I'll show you how happy I am with the life I'm making here with Dom."

"Yes, please." Mom nods. "We'd like that."

With a wide gesture of my hand, I point at the party beyond the floral decorations. "Look around, Mom. Dad. See what I'm accomplishing. This is the life I want."

"If that's the case, well." Dad frowns. "We'll support that, too. Of course."

I don't have it in me to smile at him, but I nod.

I gaze up at Dom. "Come with me?"

"Of course." He smiles and kisses my temple again.

I take his arm, in much the same way my mom has held Dad's the whole time. They stare at us, immobile except to make room for us and letting us walk past.

"The party isn't the right place to talk, but we should," Dad says.

"We will talk." I take a deep breath. "It might take some time, but we'll get over this. Right?"

Mom nods too. "We really want you to be happy."

"Then let me define what that means," I say, and walk away with Dom.

We march into the thick of the party. He can't rush with his knee injury, and we pretend we're walking slowly on purpose. We end up holding hands, mingling and conversing with people, like this was always the way it was meantto happen. We smile at people around us. Even Selena when we come across her.

She glances at our hands, a wrinkle appearing between her brows, but she doesn't ask anything. I make a mental note to discuss an HR meeting with Dom, but that's an issue for later. Right now, it's about finding a small pocket of time where to make a quick plan. A new quick plan.

We never stop touching each other somehow. Checking in with quick glances. Half an hour later, we find some privacy when we walk past another shadowed area very much like the one before, but it's him pulling me into it this time.

Again, I cling to him. This time it's him who kisses me. Pulls me close. He lets out a huge sigh of relief with me tightly held in his arms.

"I have a confession to make," he says. "I just discovered that I find it very, very sexy when you get assertive."

I laugh. "Because of how I talked to my parents?"

"I didn't expect you to join me in defending our future like that."

"If we'd had our conversation already, I would have gotten to warn you. It's been a few days since I decided I wanted to stand up to them."

"A few days, huh?" He caresses my face "That means my plan worked out."

"I'll tell you all about it when we talk."

"Are you sure you don't want me to wait for you until all your obligations are done?"

"Go home. Get in bed. I love the idea of coming to you and joining you there. Like it was always meant to be."

"It'll be like you're coming to me in a dream." He gives me one last kiss before he leads me back to the event. "Only this time it doesn't have to end."

Chapter 44

Dom