PLUS ONE
JESS
Luke was on his knees in front of me, tears streaking down his face as he pressed his lips to my stomach like it was the most precious thing in the world. His shoulders shook, and I couldn’t stop my fingers from diving into his messy black curls, holding him there, grounding us both in this moment..
I stared down at him–this big, tough guy I thought nothing could ever break–and all I could think was, My family is back. We’re whole again.
Laura was practically sitting in Josh’s lap in the wheelchair, clinging to him like her life depended on it. Josh held her just as tightly, his face buried in her shoulder. But I couldn’t focus on them for long because Luke tilted his head back, looking up at me with those piercing green eyes that always seemed to see right through me.
And what did I see there? It wasn’t anger or guilt or even relief. It was love. The kind of love that takes your breath away and makes your knees weak.
“I can’t believe…” His voice cracked, and he shook his head, leaning his forehead against my stomach like he was trying to catch his breath.
His hands rested lightly on my hips like he thought I might disappear if he held me too tightly. I tugged gently at his hair, and when he looked up at me again, there was something new in his eyes–something raw and broken.
“I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
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“Sorry for what?” I asked, my voice soft as I brushed a tear off his cheek.
“All of it,” he said, his grip on my hips tightening just a little. “The test. Your first doctor’s visit. The first time you felt them move. I missed everything, Jess. I wasn’t there when you needed me.”
His voice cracked again.
I wasn’t going to let him carry that weight.
I crouched down in front of him, my hands framing his face so he couldn’t look anywhere but at me. “Hey,” I said firmly, keeping my voice steady despite feeling like I might cry. “You’re here now. That’s what matters, Luke.
He shook his head, but I wouldn’t let him argue. I leaned forward and kissed him, soft and slow, trying to tell him everything I didn’t have the words for. His lips trembled against mine, and I could feel the wall he’d been holding up start to crumble.
When I pulled back. I pressed my forehead to his and held his face, making sure he couldn’t look away. “You’re here for the rest of it,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “For me. For them. That’s what matters.”
He closed his eyes, his breath shaky as he rested his hands over my stomach. “For them,” he repeated, his voice breaking.
“And for me, I really need a foot rub,” I added, smiling a little even though my own tears were falling.
His eyes opened, and the look on his face was so full of emotion it nearly undid me. “Always for you, and I’d rub those hideous feet every single day for the rest of my life,” he said, his voice stronger this time, his green eyes locking onto mine like he was promising me the world.
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Behind us, Josh let out a loud sniffle, totally ruining the moment. “Not to interrupt, but I feel like I’m third–wheeling so hard right now.”
Laura swatted at his shoulder, laughing through her tears, and I couldn’t help but laugh, too.
I turned back to Luke, who was smiling through his tears for the first time since I’d seen him walk through those airport doors. I leaned forward and rested my head on his shoulder, breathing him in.
“We’re going to be okay,” I whispered, more to myself than to him.
And for the first time in what felt like forever, I really believed it.
Luke stood slowly, his hands lingering on my waist as he pulled me close and kissed me. It wasn’t like the soft, tentative kisses I’d imagined in lonely moments while he was gone. This was something else entirely–intense, unrelenting like he was trying to tell me everything he couldn’t put into words.
I kissed him back, my fingers curling into his shirt, my heart pounding so hard it drowned out the noise of the airport around us. For a
moment, there was nothing but us.
And then someone cleared their throat.
Luke pulled back just enough to look at me, his thumb brushing against my hip
Someone behind Luke cleared their throat, and I blinked, my head spinning as I turned toward the sound.
Standing a few feet away was a blonde woman, about my height, with sharp blue eyes and a tense posture. She had a duffel bag slung over one shoulder, her gaze locked on Luke.
