Chapter Thirty-Two
Hunter
Tick, tick, tick. The clock on the wall next to my desk ticks away the seconds. Each one reminding me that the world around me is moving forward. The people walking the streets below me living their lives while mine stands still. On hold for a decision that will either destroy my heart or make me the happiest man alive. It feels like I am back to square one with Lucy. I finally got her to see how good we are together. We had so much momentum going, only to have it ripped away.
The image I have had in my head of the rest of my life has had Lucy in it from the moment we met. It took time to nurture that image, to become the man worthy of being by Lucy’s side. I want to be pissed at Colton for coming and destroying my dream, but how can you be angry at someone who had no control over his own life. Colton lost everything the second that bomb hit. No matter what Lucy decides, one of us is going to end up with a broken heart.
This waiting is killing me. I have gotten in my car, ready to go hunt down Lucy about twenty times. As soon as I go to start the engine, I hear Brooke’s voice in my head reminding me I promised to give Lucy time to clear her head and figure things out. My patience is wearing thinner by the minute. I just want to see Lucy’s face and hold her in my arms. I can’t take this not knowing.
The door creaks open behind me. “Antoni, I told you I didn’t want to be disturbed,” I snap.
“I guess I could come back.” Lucy’s voice sends me flying out of my seat and rushing across the small space of my office. I scoop her up in my arms, lifting her off the floor, and spinning us both around. God how I have missed her in my arms, the smell of her taking over as my oxygen. Breathing her in again…it feels like I haven’t taken a real breath since she left.
“I’ve missed you so damn much,” I say, taking a long slow breath. Her sweet scent fills my senses and breathes new life into me.
“I’ve missed you, too.” Her hands dig into my shirt, holding me tighter against her. “Don’t let me go. I just need you to hold me, please,” she pleads.
“I’m never letting you go,” I assure her.
“I told Colton I wanted a divorce,” she says, and a rush of relief floods through me. “I’ve spent the last few days weighing every option and they all lead back to you. You’re it for me.” She kisses my neck. My heart soars hearing her say the words I’ve been waiting to hear. “Colton will always have a place in my life. But my heart belongs to you.”
“I can’t tell you how much it means to me to hear you say that, but are you absolutely sure this is what you want?” I want to make sure she has really thought about this. What I don’t want is her regretting her choice later on down the road.
“This is what my heart wants, and this is what Colton wants too. We had a good talk and we realized that we aren’t the same people we were back then. He will still be in mine and Bailey’s life, because I want them to have a relationship. Colton is still her father and she deserves to get to know him. None of that will change what you and I have. I love you, Hunter. I want a life and a family with you.” Her tears drip down on my shoulder.
“I love you so much, Lucy. You are embedded in my heart and my soul. There is no me without you.” I set Lucy down on her feet and cup her face in my hands. “My beginning and my end,” I whisper against her lips before kissing her softly. Her tear stained lips taste like heaven. My life truly began the moment I saw Lucy standing in her coffee shop. I am nothing without her.
“My everything,” she murmurs between kisses.
“I think someone owes me a conversation about having kids.” I smile against her lips. Now that I know she is mine forever, I want her stomach swollen with my baby by the end of the year. I’m not waiting another minute to start my life with Lucy. As soon as her name is signed on those divorce papers, we are getting married.
“After what I put you through the past few days, we can have as many babies as you want.” She smiles up at me.
My arms loop around her waist and I tilt my head, pretending to think of my response. “Four kids it is then.” I wiggle my eyebrows at her.
“I think we can make that happen.” A sly grin slides across her lips.
“Speaking of kids, how did Bailey take the news about Colton being alive?” I ask. Losing Lucy wasn’t the only loss I was dreading, losing Bailey was also on the forefront of my mind. That little girl has brought so much joy into my world. I couldn’t imagine a life without that sweet girl.
“She took it surprisingly well. I think she was more concerned with how I was doing and hoping you and I were going to stay together.” Sweet Bailey, always looking out for her mom. It makes me happy to hear she wanted her mom and I to be together. “Bailey is one lucky girl to have two dads who love her so much.”
“I’m the luckiest man alive to have you and Bailey.”