19. Claire
19
Claire
When the Stars Align
The city of Miami sprawls beneath me, but from this distance, all I can pick out is a mix of neon lights and inky darkness.
I clench my hand in a fist, my palm slick with sweat. My hand is so numb I can barely feel my fingers. I’ve left Henry a message confirming my arrival and the hotel's address, but I’ve gotten no answers yet. I can understand him not wanting his brother to see me, but he agreed to come himself and hear me out.
I can’t even breathe properly. Panic gnaws at the edges of my nerves. I start to pace the bedroom floor, the wood creaking in a rhythmic complaint under my restless feet.
The three hours it took to get here had felt like an eternity. The drone of the engines had done nothing to drown the ever-present, gnawing worry I carried for the past eleven days.
Everything around me has faded into the background, only a blurry canvas remains, filled with the singular, burning need to find Bob.
Find him…and unleash the storm of emotions going haywire inside me. I need to tell him I love him, and that I was a fool for not realizing it sooner. I need him to know my words that day had come out of desperation, but every single word was true.
I love him, and I need him. He’s my anchor.
But before all of that, I must convince his brother. A shaky breath escapes my lips, a futile attempt to quell the rising tide of panic. My heart thumps, adrenaline coursing through my veins, fueling the restless energy that propels me across the room.
This is it. This is my shot. When I reached out to Henry, at first he told me to stay put, but I kept going, fueled by a raw desperation that burned in my veins. He tried to dissuade me, warning me of the potential for rejection and the risk of stirring up emotions that are best left buried. But I can't let it go. Not anymore.
I have to tell him. Or I’ll regret it for the rest of my life. I’ve already tried shutting up in fear of rejection and it just led to being stuck in the cavernous emptiness of our suite since his abrupt departure, missing him with every breath.
If there's a chance, no matter how little...I’m holding on to it.
The shrill ring of the phone jolts me. I grab it and It's the front desk.
“You have a guest, Ms. Carter,” a polite voice mumbles. “A Mr. Sawyer.”
“Let him up.”
My breath hitches in my throat, a mix of relief and nervous anticipation washing over me. He’s here. Now, all I have to do is convince him.
I unclench and clench my fingers to stop them from trembling. I can see the knuckles turning white against my tanned skin. The air is stiff and suffocating, and the hotel room is suddenly too small to contain these thoughts and feelings.
I force myself to take another deep breath, willing my racing heart to slow down. It's now or never. Stepping towards the large view, I smooth down the wrinkles on my travel-worn dress. The image of Mimi's teary-eyed smile fills my head, her parting words a silent mantra, ‘ Go get your man, sweetheart.’
My brothers' gruff but genuine well wishes, their unspoken confidence a balm to my anxieties. Even Fiona offered a begrudging nod and mumbled, ‘ Good luck .’ It feels like everyone around me, the universe itself, is conspiring in my favor. But even that belief does little to control the relentless knot of nerves twisting in my gut.
This is a defining moment, a crossroads that could irrevocably alter the course of my life.
I hear the door click open behind me, a tiny sound swallowed by the symphony of the city below. I take a deep breath, the air thick with anticipation and a touch of desperation.
I decide not to turn around and instead speak my mind without seeing the emotions in his face.
"Henry," I force my voice to remain steady. Thank you for coming. I know this is a lot to ask, and you probably think I’m just a selfish, manipulative woman using your brother..." My voice trembles slightly as it trails off.
He doesn’t answer and instead, a heavy sigh fills the room.
"I was foolish," I continue, my heart racing wildly. “I’ve made so many memories with Bobby, and in every single one of them, he’s the one man who gives me absolute joy and I absolutely don’t know how I can live without him.”
I hear feet shuffle behind me, but still no words. Why is he not responding? I sigh and continue, letting out my heart and soul.
“I think I refused to see a romantic chance for us because he’s too good for me. I think I’ve loved him deep down for years, and this fake-boyfriend charade revealed to me just how much I do love him. I just want to let him know that, and then I can move on without regrets. Even if he doesn’t love me anymore, I need a chance to say thank you and goodbye properly.”
“Did you come to Florida to say goodbye?”
That voice!
My heart speeds into a frantic drumbeat at the sound of that voice. I can’t mistake that deep and gravelly voice even in my sleep. A cold dread seeps into my bones. Slowly, hesitantly, I turn back towards the room's interior.
There, standing a few feet away, is Bobby. Light streams through the window, bathing him in a golden glow, and highlighting the worry etched on his features.
I cover my mouth as a gasp escapes my lips, a strangled sound that mirrors the sudden hitch in my breath. For a moment, I can only stare, my mind struggling to catch up with the impossible reality before me.
"Claire," he rasps, his voice rough with emotion. "I asked if you came to Florida to say goodbye?"
The question hangs in the air, pressure mounting on my chest. I shake my head, the movement jerky and uncoordinated.
"No," I stammer, my voice barely a whisper. "No, I…"
But the rest of my carefully rehearsed words desert me. It’s my Bobby. I was not ready to face him just yet.
"Can you tell me why you’re here?" His question is tender. “No hiding, no fears this time.”
My gaze darts around the room and back to him. This isn’t a dream, is it?
"I…" I begin. "Wow. What am I doing?"
Tears well up in my eyes, blurring my vision. Before I can stop myself, I’m moving forward, throwing my arms around his neck, burying my face in the familiar warmth of his shirt.
"I'm so sorry, Bobby," I sob, the words muffled against his skin. "So sorry for being stupid, so sorry for not seeing what was right in front of me. I love you, Bobby," my voice cracks, raw with emotion. "I wasn't brave enough. I didn't know how to say it…"
"Claire," he says, his arms tightening around me in a comforting embrace. "Hey, shhh, it's okay." He pulls back slightly, his eyes searching mine. "Are you saying this because of what I said the last time I saw you?"
I shake my head.
“Claire,” his tone vulnerable, matching mine. "I don't want to pressure you. My feelings…they're real, deeper than I ever thought possible. But they’re mine, not yours and I wouldn't blame you if you don’t feel the same."
I don't let him finish. My finger presses against his lips, silencing him. "Uh-uh. Quiet," I whisper fiercely.
"Why?" he asks, amusement dancing in his eyes despite the seriousness of the situation.
"Because I confessed first," I explain, my voice shaking slightly. "You just didn't believe it."
Taking a deep breath, I continue, the words tumbling out in a rush. "What I said to my family…it's the truth, every word of it. I love you. This fake-boyfriend charade… was such a mess, but it showed me something. It showed me how much you mean to me…how much you’ve always meant to me. The more time we spent with each other, the kisses that started out for show turned into lustrous rendezvous. The heat, the sizzle, I felt all of it. I’ve been yearning for you, your touch again ever since you left."
Silence descends upon us. Then, slowly, deliberately, Bobby leans in, his lips capturing mine in a desperate and tender kiss. The world around us fades away. The only reality is the press of his body against mine, his lips' warmth, and our hearts' intense rhythm.
He pulls back slightly, his forehead resting against mine. "I love you too, Claire," he whispers, his voice husky with emotion. “I don’t want to lose you again.”
“Good.” I smirk, and then a subtle giggle escapes my lips.
“What’s so funny?” he asks, his eyebrows raised.
“Was this how easy it could have been? Why have we been going around in circles about this for so long?”
He shrugs. "I don’t know. But what I do know is that I’m never letting you go. Not now that you've finally found your way back to me."
“I’m not going anywhere," I say, tracing a finger along the strong line of his jaw.
He shakes his head, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Never."
We stand there for a moment longer, lost in the quiet aftermath of our confessions. The city lights twinkle below, a silent audience to the reunion unfolding before them. But they don't matter. In that moment, all that matters is the man cradling me in his arms, and the love that has finally found its voice.