‘As long as you’re by my side, I know I’ll get through it,’ she said gently. ‘And part of that is you letting me help you. We can support each other.’
‘Do you really mean that?’
‘More than anything. I used to think wanting to be with a man meant weakness and that to fall in love would make me lose something of myself. But it hasn’t. My mum’s life is not mine—and you have shown me that. I know I can survive without you, Pepe. I know I can lead a fulfilling life on my own, but I don’t want to. I want to be with you. I want to support you just as you’ve supported me. I love you. Seeing you alone at the graveside tore me in two.’
‘Shall we go on our own tomorrow, to say goodbye together?’
Cara nodded through fresh tears then buried her face into his shoulder. Except these tears didn’t feel quite as desolate as all the others had. Pepe’s love had given her the hope and desire to see the silver lining on the dark cloud.
Together they would heal each other, and then who knew where their love would take them? All she knew with bone-deep certainty was that wherever they went, they would always be together, united. As one.
As love.