A little taken aback by her words, I unconsciously closed my eyes and listened to the chanted numbers as we strolled straight into the new year, unable to shake Lina’s words.
Ten!
Make a wish.
Nine!
It might come true.
Eight!
I wanted nothing. Nothing… except for one thing.
Seven!
One person.
Six!
The one person in the world I wished with all my heart were here. With me.
Five!
The man I was helplessly in love with.
Four!
The man I wished I could kiss tonight. And every single night after this.
Three!
And while my eyes were still closed, I felt someone grab my hand. The grip was warm, strong. Familiar.
Two!
My heart tumbled in my rib cage, coming alive after being dormant for weeks.
I was gently tugged forward, brought against a chest.
The scent of clean soap and sea salt hit me, making everything inside my body tighten and shake. Vibrate with possibility.
One!
Air stuck in my throat as I felt a breath against my lips.
A kiss was brushed against my jaw.
And then, when I thought it couldn’t be, that my mind was playing games because this was too much, four words were whispered in my ear. “Open your eyes,preciosa.”
Happy New Year!
My eyes blinked open, and I…Lord.
A sob climbed up my throat. I didn’t know why, or how, because I thought I’d cried all the tears I had, but it did. I cried because standing in front of me was my wish. My one and only wish.
Lucas.
And there was so much I didn’t understand, so much to figure out, but I was a fool in love who had missed him with all my being, so I couldn’t do anything but stumble into him. I questioned my sight, my sanity, the banging in my chest, as I felt tears trailing down my cheeks. Happy tears, sad tears, all kinds of tears. Because he was here. Somehow, he was standing in front of me, in a dark suit, his hair disheveled, and his eyes the warmest I’d ever seen.