“I see it took you less time to win him over then it did me,” Harlen mutters, and his wife elbows him, making him grunt.

“Willow Mayson.” A woman calls as she steps into the room and each one of us stand up which makes her eyes widen. “Well okay.” She looks at all of us. “The doctor will be releasing her to go home in about thirty minutes. Two of you can go back to wait with her until then.”

My hands ball into fists. I don’t want to have to fight with Willow’s family, not when I know they are worried, but I’m not sure I have it in me to stay away from her much longer.

“Baby, you go in with Clay,” Nico says.

Sophie nods before leaning up to give him a kiss, then she turns to me and smiles reassuringly.

The two of us follow the nurse down the hall, and when we enter the room Willow is in, her eyes open and she smiles a tired smile at us. I stand back and watch the two of them embrace and talk quietly for a few seconds before Willow looks at me holds out her hand.

I walk to the bed, and I wrap my fingers around hers, smoothing my thumb over her ring finger, trying not to dwell on everything I could have missed out on if things had gone differently today.

“I love you,” she says quietly.

I look into her eyes, reminding myself that I didn’t lose her. She’s still here with me and if I have my way, we’ll have a lifetime together and one day when she leaves this earth, I’ll follow her into the next lifetime and do this all over again.

Chapter 21

Willow

AFTER BRUSHING MY teeth, I dry my face then head into the closet to put away a little more of my stuff. Listening to the soothing sound of his deep voice I put stuff on hangers and place my things inside the drawers he cleaned out for me.

I figured at some point that Clay and I would move in together since I have been staying here with him every night since we officially became a thing. I just didn’t think it would happen so soon. But a few days after I got out of the hospital, while the two of us were lying in bed, he asked me to move in and I knew that there was no point in saying no. With him, I feel my safest, and after what happened, I didn’t want to put off being truly happy for any reason, so I said “Yes”. Thankfully Leah understood, so over the last few weeks I slowly packed up my stuff at her place to bring it all here.

Picking up a pair of pants from the floor, I realize they are the ones Clay had on earlier today, so I fold them in half and reach for a hanger. As I’m hanging them up, I hear a thud land against the carpeted floor and look down at my feet. When I see a small red box with gold etching around the edges my brows draw together and I pick it up, flipping open the lid without thinking.