Page 62 of Ever's Last

“We’ll all laugh about it when she wakes up. I’ve never questioned the age difference. I never told her this, but her mother was only seventeen when I met her. I didn’t know at the time and I’m sure her mother never told anyone. She was a runaway, living the roving dream. Not quite the same as you and her, but I knew you were going to love her the minute you saw her. Even though you were already a teenager and into girls and whatnot, there was a look in your eye, like you had to protect her. You never put her down when she was bigger. I don’t know everything that happened the night of the accident, but as I said, that’s in the past. You can only move forward from here. Even when she left to find herself, as she called it, she only worried about you.”

I put my head down and swallow my stupid pride. She deserves so much, and I want to give it all to her, but I don’t even deserve her.

“Memphis?”

I look up to see her reaching for me.

“I’ll go get the doctor.” Shane leaves, giving us a minute.

“Ever.”

“He’s right.”

“I . . . ” And I’m stopped again.

“Time to move forward. My answer is yes.”

This just became the best day of my life.

“Thank you. You won’t regret it.”

“We’ll see,” she says with a wink. I fucking love her.

The doctor steps in and asks a few questions.

“I want to keep her one more night. Just as a precaution. And we’re still waiting on those tests.”

“Tests?” she asks.

“I’ll tell you later,” I tell her.

The doctor leaves and I give her and Shane a moment. I update my mom, Sal, and Brick.

I call Natalie to let her know as well and she gives me the good news that Brick and I are still fighting. Charity fight, in a week. I laugh because Brick left that out when we spoke.

“She’s asking for you,” Shane says as he steps out.

“Thanks.”

“We’ll be here in the morning to take her home. She’s going to need to rest.”

“I have something I want to run by you, maybe tomorrow. It’s about the area behind your property.”

“I think I know what you’re asking and, yes, go ahead.”

“Thanks.”

“I’d like that, she’d be close.”

“I didn’t want to take her away.”

“I know.”

“I’d like her to finish school.”

“For now, she’s on medical leave or whatever they called. I’ll let you two figure that out.”

“See you tomorrow.”