out after that. But I still loved him. I mean he gave me everything I ever wanted and he was a loving guardian. When he took sick and I went to visit him in the hospital, he told me about how my parents met. How he had invited my mother to a frat party and the moment my father laid eyes on her, he had said some corny thing like, ‘where have you been all my life’, and my mother said, ‘waiting for the perfect moment’. They wanted to get married the very next day, but my father’s parents insisted they have a proper wedding so my parents set a maximum delay of two weeks, and that was it. Twenty six years of marriage on a dumb line like that, John said.
“The crazy thing is I forgave John. I couldn’t hate him anymore. I thought I would leave the hospital and find my father’s family and tell them everything. I drove up to the family house. I was so close, just a few feet away from the gate and I couldn’t go up and ring the bell. I was so ashamed of how I had been easily manipulated and then two months later, you had to go and hit my car.”
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“You don’t get it,” Willow said.
“What do you mean?”
“When you came over to my car and I looked up at you, all I wanted to say was that stupid line, ‘where have you been all my life?’. It wasn’t just the handsome face. It was as if I knew you. As if I had lived that day before and I was in a dream and I would wake up and you would be there beside me as you have always been. I was afraid if I gave in to you then the whole dream would fall apart. You probably think it’s crazy or that I’m crazy. I’m not talking about déjà vu. It’s just that sometimes when I’m with you there is this overwhelming sense of familiarity. I still wonder if this is the dream or if this is reality. I love you, James.”
“Oh my God,” he pulled her into a big hug and rained kissed all over her face. “I love you Will. I loved you the minute you looked up at me with those big eyes.”
“That’s my demon.”
“I love you,” he said again. “I love you.”
“Okay,” she laughed one of her throaty laughs that always excited him. “I got the message the first time.”
“I should have gotten the message the first time,” he said.
“What are you talking about?”
“The first time we made love. You trusted me.”
Chapter 11
Having now declared their love for each other meant they tried to compromise in their daily living. It also meant a surprise bouquet at her office on Monday, and a midday make out session at his office at lunch time.
“I have to go to China next week,” James said as he zipped his pants. “Can you take the time off?”
“When next week?” She asked.
“Tuesday,” he replied. “I should be back by Saturday.”
“I can’t make it,” she said. “I have a photo shoot until Wednesday.”
“You know,” he said, “since we’re living together now, we should sync our calendars.”
“That’s a good idea, but then you wouldn’t be surprised when I show up here for a lunch time quickie.”
“Those you can leave off the calendar,” he said as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “Speaking of syncing calendars, I have a very, very late meeting this evening. Can we stay down the street tonight?”
“Sure. I’ll have to run home for clothes, but that is okay.”
“Wait a minute,” James said. “If your photo-shoot ends on Wednesday, you could still make China.”
“I’ll be editing Thursday and Friday.”
“Are you sure you’ll be okay with just Henry and Daphne?”
“I’ll stay at my place.”
“No. We’re living together. No going back.”
“I better go if I’m going to get home and back to the office on time. I love you.”
“Love you too, Babe.”
She spotted him easily across the museum hall. He was with a tall beautiful woman. She could read all his body signs though it’d been years. He was flirting, and she, with her left hand on his shoulder was flirting back.
Though she had easily spotted him, the little alcove in which they stood, talking and, laughing was very private. The telltale giveaway was his bodyguards. They stood stiffly and slightly out of place in the crowd. Of course, if not for that, there were