Page 159 of For I Have Sinned

“You don’t have to worry about it, Celine. I’m not going anywhere. And I love you, too.”

She smiles, lifting herself to press her lips to mine. God, I missed her. She continues the movement of her lips at a slow pace, savoring our alone time, when her phone rings. She pulls away with a groan and climbs off the bed.

“If this is my mother, I swear…”

“Shit.” How could I forget to ask her about her parents? “How did they handle the news?”

She lets out a breathy laugh. “It was a whole ordeal. She got on the news to defend Father Keaton. Saying that the whole story was a lie.”

My teeth clench together, and my hand curls into a fist. “Did she even call you?”

“After the reporter basically called her out on live television for not making sure I was okay? Yeah. But I ignored her.” She pulls out her phone and stares at the screen.

“You want me to talk to her?” I offer. I wouldn’t mind ripping her a new one.

“It’s Catherine. That author I was telling you about.” Her eyes remain on the screen while she continues. “I texted her once my phone was charged, saying we needed to talk.”

“Answer it, Celine,”

She chews on her bottom lip. “I shouldn’t have texted her.”

“This is your dream job, baby.” I remind her. “You need to call her back.”

“And tell her what?” She glances over at me with a perplexed expression.

“The truth, Celine.” I swallow. “Tell her the truth.”

With a slight nod, she unlocks her phone just as the doctor knocks on the door and comes into the room.

“I have the recovery plan all set and would like to go over it with you.”

“Maybe I should wait to call her back,” Celine goes to put her phone in her pocket.

“Call her back.” My eyes shoot to her. “I’ll talk with the doctor.”

She sighs, but clicks something on the screen and brings her phone to her ear. Sitting on the chair, she straightens and says, “Hi, Catherine!”

Celine talks quietly enough not to disrupt the doctor as he goes over the plan, and I know I’ll have to ask him to review it again because I’m only half listening. I don’t give him my full attention because I’m too busy staring at my future.

And I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives showing her how much I love her.

Celine

EPILOGUE

One Month Later

“Dammit,” Alex curses as he goes to put his jacket on.

I’m finishing up getting ready for the night, applying lipstick in the mirror attached to our dresser, and my eyes find him in the reflection. I watch as he attempts to slip his left arm through, but the sleeve falls when he feels a pinch of pain.

“I told you I would help you.” I sigh because he does this all the time.

Thinking he is able to do things on his own when he still needs help. Capping the lid on the lipstick and stepping over to him. Taking his hand in mine, I slowly insert it into the sleeve.

“The doctors told you to take it easy for a while.”

He groans, pouting as he slowly slides his arm through the coat. “But it’s been a month since it happened.”