My dad died when I was I eleven. My younger brother died when I was eighteen; right now I’m positive my mother is dying.

I don’t fear living alone, seeing as that’s exactly how I’ve lived the last twelve years of my life, but after being around Sam and Katie, I know I want them maybe even need them in my life.

Sam followed me back to Mom’s, where Katie immediately hops out of the truck and runs inside. I love how attached she is to my mother, except I know when the day comes that she’s no longer with us it will hurt Katie— unlike anything she’s felt before. But I’m selfishly happy that my mother has Katie—a grandchild I’ve never given her.

By the time I climb out of the truck, Sam is already out of hers and is waiting on me. “This isn’t Margie’s normal day so if anything comes up, have her call me. I should be done with work by three.”

She turns, ready to leave when I say, “You have an appointment with me at one. You can check on Katie yourself then.”

“I traded your file with someone else.”

“And I called and refused this other nurse. I think I might need help showering after all and the only person I want seeing me naked is you.”

Her eyes thin in anger. “Seriously Luke, what are you doing?”

“I’m doing what I should’ve done twelve years ago.” I take a step closer, reaching for her hand. “I’m fighting for the woman I’m meant to be with.”

She takes a step back. “Why didn’t you fight for us then? Why didn’t you tell me you needed to enlist in the army? We could’ve had our own plans—separate plans—without losing each other.”

Her voice cracks while the pain I single-handedly instilled in her bubbles to the surface.

“I was a clueless kid. I had no idea what to do with myself. I was probably going to end up working at The Mill like your old man.”

Sam’s eyes widen. She loves her father but she never wanted to get stuck in this town. Her dreams were always bigger. “That night…when your dad confronted me, I had no idea what I could offer you but I damn sure knew I wasn’t going to hold you back.”

“But… you never even told me goodbye. One day you were just… gone.”

“I owed it to Mom and Casey to enlist and I knew if I told you goodbye, I wouldn’t have left. I loved you too much to walk away a second time.” I pause as tears make their way down her cheek. “I told myself years ago that you probably married some wealthy man with a degree of his own, someone who’s worthy of you. I figured you probably had kids… it is because of that, I wouldn’t allow myself to imagine a future with you but now… everything is different.”

There’s no middle ground where this woman is concerned. I can’t pretend to be friends with the woman I was put on Earth to love.

She wipes her face and shakes her head, then without a word, she walks to her truck and leaves.

Forcing a smile, I walk inside, hoping like hell Katie didn’t notice her mother in tears. Mom walks straight for me with Katie nowhere in sight. “God couldn’t create the world in a day and you’re not going to fix things overnight.” She squeezes my hand. “Give her time to process what you told her and be thankful that Samantha is a very forgiving woman.”

“Who’s ready for ice cream?” Katie shouts from the kitchen.

Mom laughs. “We better not keep the little lady waiting.”

At one o’clock, the front door flies open and a very angry Sam storms in. “What did you say to Judy to get her to agree to this nonsense?”

I place my good hand up in surrender, slowly getting up from the couch. “I told her I felt more comfortable with you as my nurse but I have to say, I’m rethinking the idea.” I chuckle, but Sam doesn’t.

“No, you refused any nurse she tried to offer.”

“If you knew that, then why’d you ask?”

She groans, rubbing her temples. “Jasper is my home and outside of my family, this job is my life. I won’t let you or anyone for that matter mess with it.”

My stomach tightens. “I’m not trying to mess with your job.” When I spoke to her boss, I did refuse every single nurse she tried to offer—which was only two.

“But you are.” She sighs, letting her bag drop from her shoulder. “If I’m going to be your nurse, then you’re going to act professionally.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She glares while taking a seat in the chair across from the couch. “Where are Katie and Margie?”

I point to the window where the two of them are working in the garden. “Have they been out there long; it’s really hot?”

“No, they only went a few minutes ago.” I wasn’t thinking about the heat when they agreed to scatter after hearing Sam’s truck pull into the drive.

“Okay…” She grabs a folder out of her bag. I have a few questions—.”

“So do I.” I smirk. “I want to ask one for every one you ask me.”

Her brows push together. “That’s not how this works, Luke.”

“We both know I’m more than a patient. You don’t have to apply the same rules you normally do unless of course, you’re…afraid.”

Her eyes sparkle with a challenge. “You’re on but only if you agree to answer my questions truthfully.”

“Deal.”

She flips the file in her lap open. “On a scale of one to ten, ten being the worst, how would you rate your pain level?”

“On a good day, a four maybe five, but there are days when my shoulder feels like it’s on fire.”

Her eyes widen seconds before she scribbles something in her file. “Are you taking the meds your VA doctor prescribed for you?”

“No. They make me feel sluggish and oblivious of my surroundings.”

“There’s plenty we can try. I’ll call the doctor and have a new script written.” She glances back at the file. “I’ve set up an appointment for later this week for your physical therapy. I think after a few trips you’ll see a great improvement in your range of movement. I’m hoping in the next week or two you’ll be able to lose the sling.”

“That sounds great. I can’t wait to use my arm again.” She studies me, not saying a word.

“Have you ever been in love with anyone, besides me?”

Her mouth goes slack and her breathing becomes audible but she’s not the only one freaking out because I don’t know what I’ll say if she says yes.

“I would dream about you all the time. And in each dream, you were happy. I knew if that were the case it meant you moved on. I wouldn’t consider the possibility that you hadn’t until I returned home and saw you. I knew then that every day I was without you was pointless.” Leaning forward, I place my hands in hers. “I haven’t loved anyone but you and I never will.”

She shakes her head, her eyes glistening with tears. “Words can be extremely powerful. They can build you up or tear you down but at the end of the day, I’ve learned actions always speak louder.”

She pulls her hand from mine, which I immediately run through my hair with a groan. “You’re right. I walked away without a fight and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I couldn’t, wouldn’t be the person responsible for keeping you from your dreams.”

Silence settles between us while I sit here staring at the most beautiful woman I’ve ever set eyes on. “Sam,” I whisper her name in apology.

“Did you ever stop to consider my dreams had changed? That you… were my dream?”

Anxiety swirls in my stomach. I fear she’ll never truly understand that I was protecting her, something I’ll never stop doing.

A blood-curling scream sounds from the backyard. “Mama!”

We both jump to our feet and race outside. “Oh my god,” Sam says through a cry when we spot Mom passed out on the ground.

“Mama, she was talking then she just fell down.”

Sam places two fingers to Mom’s wrist then shouts, “Luke, bring the truck around. We need to get her to the hospital.”

Without pause, I dig my keys out and race to my truck, hoping karma isn’t this cruel. I wasted years I’ll never get back but fuck…I’m nowhere close to being ready to say goodbye.