Page 71 of Heaven Help Me

“No!” Her eyes fly open and she reaches for me.

I stand there, on alert, unsure what I should do.

Valentina stops sobbing just long enough to huff. “I’m just feeling things.”

I gape at her. Like, painful things? Why won’t she let me get the nurse? “Like what exactly?”

Valentina throws her hands in the air. “I don’t know! You just said we’re a we and now I can’t stop my eyeballs from crying, which is really annoying because I don’t cry!”

I take her in, red-rimmed eyes, leaking nose, tears streaking down her face. Oh, she’s definitely crying. But I don’t point that out. She’s dealing with enough right now.

“Yes, I can see your eyes watering quite a bit,” I mutter.

Valentina glares at me, but the tears don’t dissipate. “I’ve never had anyone choose me.”

All the fight leaves my body. My knees buckle and my ass hits the mattress. It’s a simple statement and yet it packs a punch. No one has ever chosen her. Goddamn, that’s enough to bring a man to his knees. I’ve lived such a privileged life with two parents who have chosen me. Sure, in a flawed way, but that’s the human experience, is it not? But to live your whole life feeling like no one has ever prioritized you? That’s no way to live at all. Suddenly my eyeballs are feeling like they want to cry too.

I grip her hands in mine, wanting to infuse her with this other simple truth. “If I have my way, you’ll spend the rest of your life being put first. Being chosen over and over again until you get sick of being chosen. You’re my priority from now on, V. Against my better judgement for a smooth-sailing life, I love you.”

God, it feels good to finally say it out loud. I don’t even instinctually reach for my ribs to protect them from the tip of her knife. I trust her. Implicitly.

Valentina lifts her chin, lips quivering as she sucks in a deep breath. Her watery eyes drill into mine, searching for the truth in my statement. It’s all there. She just has to let herself believe it. I see the very second she does. Her shoulders release and her whole face goes soft.

“I love you too.”

She says it with a tone containing all the wonder reserved for miracles, and I suppose this is one.

I lean in and kiss her, softly, more chaste than I’ve ever kissed a woman. Her lips tremble against mine. We breathe each other in and rest in the knowledge that two very independent people have decided to be a we. There’s no rushing, this is not a stolen moment to pack in everything all at once. We have the rest of our lives to rest in each other.

I pull back, only when the door opens and the doctor strides in, two nurses at her heels. Still, Valentina and I stare into each other’s eyes. The intensity will always be there with us, but we can also be quiet and calm and gentle with each other too.

“Well, my dear, we need to get another scan to make sure there’s no swelling, but if it comes back clear, you’re free to go home under concussion protocols and constant supervision.”

We give the doctor enough attention to assure her Valentina will be well taken care of at home with me. Then the group leaves and it’s just her and me again. Her hands grip me tightly, as if she’s afraid to let me go and break whatever this spell is we’re under together. She’ll learn to trust in what I’m offering. This isn’t fleeting. This won’t be taken from her. Our relationship will not be used as a bargaining chip in someone’s power play.

“I’m not going back to the Barzettis,” she finally says, voice tired but firm.

All the residual tension in me leaves in one long exhale of gratitude. “Thank fuck.”

Valentina shoots me a teasing look, despite the swollen eye and bandages. “That’s not very Southern of you.”

I kiss the back of one hand, then the next. “I wasn’t going to try to tell you what to do, or influence you one way or the other. I think you’ve had enough of that with Betty. But I can’t say I’m not relieved you’re refusing to go back.”

“I’m done with that life. Not because of panic attacks though, but because I just don’t want it. You’ve opened my eyes to other things that are out there for me.” She squeezes my hands and grins. “Hell, I think I’ve fallen in love with small towns.”

My eyes shoot wide. “Don’t you mean one small town?”

Valentina shrugs, her eye dancing with mischief. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen other small towns.”

“I’ll take you to every single one, then.”

She tilts her head to the side. “No, thank you. I just want to be in Heaven. With you.”

“Then move in with me. For good. Let’s be the hottest couple in all of Heaven, Mississippi.”

Valentina snorts. “I think I need to heal my face before I attempt that moniker.”

I shoot her a wink. “Nah, you got me, baby.”