Page 66 of The Thief

He took a breath, placing his elbows on the table and steepling his fingers as he stared right back at me. “To remind me that I could be a better person. And to remember someone who had the balls to stand up for what she believed in.”

His words burnt a trail from my gut to my heart, making it difficult to breath. “I can’t believe you did that.”

“I can’t believe I waited fourteen years to see you again.” I held back the little cry that wanted to break free when he said that.

“How did I fail to notice how sweet and kind you were back then?” I asked on a whisper.

He gave a sad smile and replied, “Probably for the same reason I didn’t notice you had dimples. We showed what we wanted to show and hid what we wanted to hide. We didn’t know each other back then.”

I sighed, my heart throbbing with emotion. My brain scrambled. “I wish we did. I feel like I missed out on something.”

He nodded.

“Me too.”

I swallowed through the lump in my throat. “Do you have any idea how much that means to me? What you just did, it’s... I don’t even have the words.”

“You don’t need words. I already know,” he replied, the light in his eyes telling me he understood.

He’d seen me back then, and he saw me now.

The real me.

A moment passed, and then he whispered, “It worked. I tried... No... I’m trying to do better, be better.”

“You’re doing more than trying.” I reached forward to take his hand, and he smiled as he took my hand in his, running his thumb over my knuckles. “You mean so much to us, Tyler. I’m so grateful for you.”

“You mean more to me than you’ll ever know,” he replied, his voice gruff and full of emotion. “But perhaps, when you come out with me on Saturday night, I might be able to show you, rather than tell. I’m better at actions than words.”

His words were pretty damn perfect, so I couldn’t wait to see what actions he had in mind.

He cocked his head as I smirked to myself, picturing those actions, and he asked, “You have asked your mum to babysit, haven’t you?”

I chuckled at his eagerness. “Give me chance. You asked me last night and it’s only half past eight in the morning. But I’ll ask her today. I promise.”

“Good.” He stood up. “Because if you don’t ask her, I will. We’re having our night. And who knows...” He leant down and kissed the top of my head, then whispered, “After one night, you might decide you want to keep me.”

I glanced up at him. “I don’t need one night to know that.”

I wanted him.

I so wanted him to be mine.

And all the words he was giving me, the assurance, it was smashing every brick and breaking every wall I’d put in place around my heart.

He leaned forward, brushing his lips against mine, and I kissed him back.

But then, the moment was broken as Ava burst into the kitchen, and Tyler jolted, standing up with a guilty blush on his cheeks.

“Were you kissing Mummy?” Ava started to laugh.

“I was checking something in Mummy’s eye,” Tyler lied, but I could tell from the grin on her face that Ava preferred her explanation.

But in typical Ava style, her brain moved onto something else, and she made a grab for Tyler’s hand.

“Come and watch Spiderman with me,” she demanded, and Tyler followed her but stared back at me.

“I’ve been summoned. But if you need me for more eye checks, just holler.”