82. Chapter Eighty-Two
Chapter Eighty-Two
Jordan
“Today’s the day, baby!” he calls out and tosses the sticks onto the bed he woke up holding this morning.
He was fidgeting, unable to chill out with the impending appointment, and instead of just waiting for him to fall on his face in his sleep again, I gave him the sticks.
He pattered all night long with his eyes closed.
But his ass stayed in the bed right next to me.
I nod and smile at Mac as he hobbles his way into his pants. He almost trips three times before plopping back on the bed and shoving his feet through.
For the last six days, Mac and I have been inseparable. Hanging out around his apartment, binge watching movies like our life depended on it, and making out when the temptation was too much. Just as we were before everything got all messed up, minus the sucking face, and I would be lying if there wasn’t some part of me that was nervous to change it. To challenge it.
But the bigger part of me?
Well … it can’t fucking wait to make this shit official.
The doc calls it progress on my part. I just think its impatience.
Now that I’ve had him, I don’t think there’s any universe in which I’d ever not be his.
“We’re going to be late if you don’t hurry up.”
Hopping up, he scares the cat when he blows past to find his shoes that he left in the middle of the hallway.
Or, at least, that’s where he thinks they are.
Meanwhile, he jets right past me even though I’m holding them in my hand.
Smirking, I follow his trail into the living room and hold up the Chucks. “Looking for these?”
“Dammit.”
He snags them, bends to shove his feet in, then straightens and smacks a kiss on my lips. He’s even running with them untied, nearly trips again, and bangs into the door with a laugh.
Watching him like this … it’s like I’m meeting him again, some of the years gone by shaved away, his luminance following close behind him like a trail of star dust.
I snicker with a patter to my heart and follow the chaos, keys in hand.
God, I missed him.
The drive is short and, thankfully, uneventful but the second the back of the hospital building comes into view, my nerves kick in.
All the what ifs roll through my mind, terrorizing me with the possibilities that this is too soon. That something’s gone wrong. That maybe … with a second chance at life, Mac won’t want to spend it with me.
It’s irrational to think that, considering how he’s chosen to spend every waking minute since he came back to me, but the fear is real. It stabs inside my chest, slicing me open with all the things from my past, reminding me of every time that things didn’t work out.
Of all the times someone didn’t come back.
“Tyro.”
Blowing out a breath, I put the car in park and turn to him.
Despite everything, there’s a soft smile on his face, something I don’t think has left him since he woke up, when he reaches for me. Our hands clasp over the center console, his grip sure and warm. I’m still not used to it, him reaching for me like this leaving my organs tumbling over themselves, and I honestly don’t ever want to.
Because if I never get used to this, then I’ll never take it for granted.
“I’m good. It’s gonna be fine.”
My stomach flips, filling with little fluttering tingles.
“I know,” I mutter and do a sweep of our surroundings before lifting his knuckles and pressing a kiss to the backs of each one.
“My little romantic baby.”
I snort. “Little?”
His brow jumps and his grin morphs into a smirk. “Not little.”
My chest swells.
I’ll always choose you.
“C’mon, Tyro. Let’s get cleared.”
He’s bursting from the car a moment later and I’m following after him with sparks lighting down my spine.
“Mac, hey.”
Snagging his wrist, I pull him to a stop in the middle of the empty parking garage.
He cocks a brow at me, his eyes as clear as day as they assess me, his smile restored to its original brilliance so bright it takes my breath.
“You’re staring.”
I nod, agreeing as I step closer. Close enough that the toes of my boots meet his Chucks. Our fingers interlock. The backs of my free fingers brush over his cheek.
“I can’t wait.”
Green-blue eyes soften as they dance between mine.
“For what?” he whispers near soundlessly.
The corner of my lips tip up before pressing to his. I don’t linger, though I want to. Instead, I pull back just enough that all I see is him.
All I’ve ever seen is him since the moment I laid eyes on him. I know that now. That there was no other way for this to end up. No universe exists without him and me. No story where the two of us don’t make our own ending, together.
No way we don’t exist just like this.
Mac and me.
“I love you.”
His eyes flare wide, a gasp echoing off the concrete.
“What?” he squeaks with a tightening grip.
“I love you,” I repeat, as I would a thousand times. As I have in every timeline to ever exist. “I’m in love with you, Mac.”
A sound that I can only describe as a sob ekes through his parted lips and he dives forward, flinging his arms around my neck and squeezing.
“Is this a pity hug, or …?”
The laugh that he lets out is wet. Choked. But as equally good to hear.
“Psht,” he scoffs out and tightens. “You’ll never get my pity, Tyro.”
Chuckling, I glance around before turning my face into his neck and press a kiss to his hummingbird of a pulse.
“But you have my love, Jordan,” he whispers thickly. “You have for a while.”
The sudden lift of weight has my knees nearly buckling.
“You and me?”
I feel his nod and my eyes water.
Tentative, soft, and so full of life, Mac turns to press his lips to mine and it’s as if there never was a present without him. That all time has come together for just this moment.
That the universe has finally righted after so many years of being off course.
“You and me, baby.”