Devon

Devon skidded to a stop in Sam’s driveway, sending a shower of gravel against the cottage. He pounded on the door until Mr. Connors answered.

“I need to talk to Sam,” Devon pleaded.

“I’m sorry, Devon—”

“Please, you don’t understand. I’m in love with her.”

“Devon . . .”

“Sam!” Devon yelled, trying to look past Mr. Connors. “Sam!”

“She’s not here. She already left for the airport.”

Devon was sprinting back to his car when Mr. Connors called after him.

“You’ll never catch her.”

“I have to try.”

Devon prayed while he drove. He prayed for traffic for Sam. He prayed for open roads for himself. And most of all, he prayed he wasn’t too late for one more chance with her.

* * *

When Devon got close to Dublin his prayers were answered. Well, one of them. Traffic was backed up on the M50 and being re-routed through Dublin due to an accident. When he turned onto Ormond Quay, a long road that ran along the River Liffey, traffic slowed to a standstill. This was it, now of never. Devon got out of his car, ignoring the honking and shouting behind him. “Do or die, Devon,” he reminded himself as he ran along the scenic sidewalk that followed the river. That’s when his second prayer was answered. There, ten cars ahead, right next to the famous Ha’penny Bridge, was a black town car with plates he recognized.

Devon started screaming and waving his hands wildly, not caring about the strange looks he was getting. “Sam! Sam! Wait!” In a few more steps, he was pounding on her window breathlessly. “Sam!”

She looked so startled at first he thought she didn’t even recognize him. But he didn’t wait for an invitation. He opened the door and slid in next to her.

“Devon! What are you doing here?”

“You can’t go, Sam. I love you and I know you love me too. Don’t leave. Please. Just stay and we can work this out.”

“No! I already told you I don’t want to.”

“Sam, please,” he begged, reaching for her hands. “We can’t be over.”

“We never even started, Devon.” She pulled away from him.

“But—”

“Sorry to interrupt, Master James, but in or out?” Thorton said, glancing at them in the rearview mirror. “Traffic is moving.”

“In,” Devon replied stubbornly.

“Out!” Sam shouted.

“I’m not leaving, Sam. Not until you hear me out.”

“Fine, then I’ll leave,” she said furiously exiting the car.

For a moment, Devon and Thorton just stared at each other in shock, and then Devon jumped out of the car and stormed after Sam.

He caught up to her on the Ha’penny Bridge, catching her by the wrist. She whirled around, but instead of looking angry like she had in the car, her face was streaked with tears. Devon couldn’t stand it. He didn’t want to be the reason she was so upset. But he couldn’t let her go either. He took both of her hands and dropped to his knees. “Don't go, Sam,” he begged. “Please? Just stay.”

“Why?”

“Because I love you. And I’m nothing without you. Please, Sam. You’re all I have left. And I have to believe that you still love me too.”

She sniffled but didn’t object.

Devon got slowly to his feet and cupped her face. “Sam,” he whispered. “Tell me I'm wrong and I'll let you go. It’ll kill me. But if it’s what you truly want, I’ll let you go.” 

“You're not wrong,” she whispered.

Devon’s heart soared. She was still here, his Sam, the one that loved him back was still holding on.

“I do love you. But it’s not enough. It’s not a reason to stay.”

“Yes it is. There’s no better reason. I’ve found the person I love. She's standing right in front of me. And I can’t let her go. Not now, not ever. If you leave, I’ll follow you. Just say the word, Sam. Just tell me this is what you want too and I’ll come with you. Anywhere you want to go. All I want is to be with you.”

“Devon . . .” Her lip quivered as her watery blue-green eyes gazed up at him. His heart was pounding in his chest. He’d never felt more alive or more terrified. He was so close. He could feel Sam reaching for him. But something was holding her back. He pulled her closer with trembling hands, bending his forehead to meet hers. He breathed in her scent and shivered. “Sam.” He murmured her name like a prayer. “You told me once that almost isn’t enough. And you were right. So here I am, Sam. I’m all in. Now it’s up to you.”

Sam

Sam’s heart was pounding. This was it. They were back at the tent, back before the phone rang, back with their futures wide open ahead of them. Devon loved her. He truly did. What else could she want? He was willing to follow her back to Boston. She could have it all. She only had to stop being afraid to want it. But that meant opening her heart up to be hurt again. And it was still in tatters. Her heart was still in the ICU. Could she really ask it to take on more so soon. As if in response, her heart pumped faster. It was strong enough. She was strong enough.

Sam reached her hands up, twisting them around Devon’s neck. She was staring at him. His expression was so open she could see their whole future in his eyes.

“Devon, I love you. I love you so much it hurts,” she whispered.

“You do?”

“Yeah.”

“So, does this mean . . . are you in this with me?”

“I don’t know how to get out.” She grinned lopsidedly. “So yeah, I’m all in.”

Devon

Devon wrapped his arms around Sam and sighed into her toffee-colored hair. “Oh thank Christ!”

Sam giggled as Devon pulled her off her feet, holding her tighter than he thought possible, peppering her with kisses. Her feet were barely back on the ground when his lips found hers. Devon kissed Sam like she was air and his lungs had been starved for oxygen. He kissed her like his life depended on it, and maybe it did. Because for the first time since his father died, Devon felt like someone had opened that window in his chest again, flooding him with light and air and warmth—flooding him with love.

A burst of applause from onlookers broke their lips apart momentarily. Sam blushed, but didn’t let go of Devon. She gazed up at him, eyes shining. “Thank you for not giving up, Devon.” Then she added more softly. “I was just scared I wasn’t enough.”

Devon pulled her closer. “You were always enough, Sam. You’re more than enough. You’re everything.”