55
STEVIE
I didn’t get much sleep last night. After waiting in Zanders’ hallway until two in the morning, I wandered back to my place for some rest, but I only had a few hours until I needed to get up. I wanted to get to the shelter early this morning to check on the dogs.
Since six AM, fans have been crowding the sidewalk outside our little run-down shelter. They’re loud and for a lot of pups, the yelling, cheering, and blaring music can be scary, especially when you’re in a new place and not in the home you were used to.
Thankfully our group of senior dogs has been primarily unaffected by the outside noise, but regardless, I’m glad to spend the day here. It’s a good distraction from the fact I haven’t been able to see Zanders yet.
Cheryl and I didn’t plan for business today. We just came by to check on the dogs. The sidewalks are too crowded, plus the entire city is closed up and celebrating the boys’ championship.
For the first time all day, the bell over the door rings, but as I walk around the partition to greet them, Rosie comes barreling into her old home, rubbing her body against my shins as she softly whimpers, begging for my attention.
I haven’t allowed myself to think about how much I miss her, but now that’s she’s here, I can’t avoid it. When Zanders broke up with me, I not only lost him, but I lost her too.
I bend down, making myself level with her, scratching behind her ears and giving her all the love I haven’t been able to offer in the last few weeks.
“Rosie, what are you doing here?” I rhetorically ask.
That’s when it hits me.
I look up, and there he is, standing just inside the doorway.
Taking him in but not believing that he’s here, I slowly stand. He’s as handsome as he always is, fresh faded cut, gold jewelry, and perfectly fitted clothes. His hazel eyes bore into mine, staring at me from across the room as my chest flutters from his unyielding gaze.
The crowd is frantic outside, the noise level almost deafening. Local news stations have their cameras rolling, a couple of them managing to follow him inside, but I can’t focus on anything other than Zanders.
I cannot believe he’s here right now.
Cheryl slips past me out of the room as I continue to mindlessly scratch Rosie’s head as she sits at my side.
Zanders and I standoff, holding each other’s stare for far too long, silence stretching between us.
I swallow. “You following me?”
A light laugh flows through him. “You have no idea, Stevie girl.”
Our matching smiles ease the tension in the room until his brows crease with worry, eyes pleading with mine. “Do you love me?”
The question catches me off guard so much so that I can’t speak. He knows I do, but I didn’t expect him to ask so directly. It’s Zanders, though. I should always expect direct.
“Because I love you, Stevie.”
What?
“I’ve always loved you. I just didn’t know that’s what it was at the time. I’ve never had someone to love, and no one has ever loved me the way you do.” He pauses for a deep breath. “You might be done with me, Vee, and I wouldn’t blame you if you were, but I can’t let this end without telling you how much I fucking love you.”
Is this really happening? My throat is dry, my mouth parched, and my heart is racing faster than it probably should. Words I was convinced I’d never hear him say are now flowing freely from his lips.
“The biggest mistake I’ve ever made was letting you go. I told myself I was doing it to protect you, but I was scared. No one had ever loved me enough to stick around, and I was tired of being left, so I did it before you could. But Stevie, there hasn’t been a second that’s gone by that I haven’t regretted that decision. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Always will be.”
Zanders vulnerably stands across the room from me, cameras filming his genuine words, but in a state of shock, I remain silent.
His throat bobs in a deep swallow before continuing. “I thought the scariest thing would be losing Chicago, losing my fans, but I was wrong. The scariest thing is losing you. All this time, I thought I needed an entire city to love me, but the reality is I just need you one person to. I need you to love me. You’ve always been my first choice, Vee, and I lost sight of that for a moment, but I promise you, you’ll never have to question your place in my life again.”
I open my mouth to speak, but he doesn’t let me.
“If you want to be in Seattle, then I’ll try my hardest to play in Seattle. If you want to move somewhere else, then I’m coming too.” He releases a heavy sigh. “Stevie girl, I’ll follow you anywhere.”