Page 39 of Never Too Late

When I nodded, he continued, “So, we’ll give her this Christmas, but by the second one we’ll all be under one roof. She will also know from tomorrow morning that you’re special to me, as in the woman who’s got Daddy’s heart as much as he does hers. We’ll try to answer all her questions, but knowing my girl, she’ll just go with the flow.”

I said nothing. I kept looking at him. My heart beating a mile a minute. The hope that started flickering when he first came in, now was an inferno.

“You with me?” he asked me again.

Again, I just nodded.

“I love you, Sophie. I never stopped. And I know you love me. I want all those things we dreamt about seventeen years ago. I was an idiot for ever letting you go. I was a bigger one not to see you suffering when I came to Boston. I need to remedy that. We’ll have enough time to hash through the years we spent apart. We don’t need to get to know each other, because bottom line, we never stopped knowing each other. And I’m sorry, baby, but if you want to continue with your career as a surgeon, you’ll have to find a hospital that’s close. I can’t move Zara all the way to Seattle.”

“You don’t ever have to worry about that,” I said hurriedly.

“What?”

“I have privileges in Denver, something like a part-time job. When I decided to stay here, I knew I could never give up surgery. It’s in my blood, it’s a part of me. Anyway—” I shook my head to clear it. “I got everything I wanted. That’s why I accepted the position of a town’s doctor. I had the time and I’m used to working long hours. So, even if I want more free time and normalcy, I’m still me. And I need to work.”

He didn’t say anything to that, just watched me without blinking.

“And I still have privileges in Seattle. I can go in and get in the OR whenever I want.”

I was scared of bringing it up, but if we want this to work, he needed to know everything.

“In fact, I still have my place there. And I have to go in to see a patient of mine. It’s a little girl, Dylan. I can’t just leave her behind,” I rambled. He still didn’t utter a word. “And my best friend lives there. I want you to meet her.”

Silence.

I rushed to explain. “What I’m trying to say, or ask really, are you at least open to go with me for a visit?” I asked in a small voice.

“Fuck, you’re adorable,” he muttered before he kissed.

I took that as a yes.

“One more thing, baby,” Dylan said casually, putting on his coat because he had to go home and take care of his daughter.

He also had a friend visiting who he had been neglecting for the last three days.

“What?” I smiled. I couldn’t help it. Over the days, he entered the power-on phase of our relationship and he wasn’t lying when he said we were going to go fast.

We had two dinners that included Zara.

I had a blast.

She was so adorable I fell more in love with her the moment she walked through my door.

I also got to wear a pointy hat.

And over the top dress.

“Next time we’ll dress up as princesses,” Zara said as her way of saying goodbye last night. I already ordered our tiaras online.

I was just as excited as she was.

“You’re also going to wear my ring. And baby, I still want us to have that baby we dreamt about. We’re not young, but we still have time, so there’s no rush. When you think it’s the right time to start trying, when you’re secure enough in us, you come and tell me and we’ll get right on that.” He looked at me, sighed, and kissed me. “So that’s where we’re at. I’m here, you’re here and as soon as we can manage it, that here will become the same place. As in the same house. So, this is where we’re at. Now, Sophie, are you still with me?”

He barely finished his question before I answered, “Yes.”

Epilogue

Sophie