Epoch (Transcend Duet #2)(40)
“You don’t love me.” I choke on the words as they come out like a strangled whisper.
“I do love you.”
Dead. Dead. Dead.
No oxygen.
No words.
No pulse.
“Because I think I’ve always loved you, and I’m certain I always will.” He grins, leans in, and kisses the top of my head. “Breathe, Swayze. I’m not stealing you from your fiancé.” He grabs his bag and coffee. “I think a part of you will be mine to love in every life.”
It’s not until the door shuts behind him that I let my lungs have that sweet, refreshing oxygen.
The rest of the morning I play with a smiley, giggly baby. When Morgan goes down for a nap, I get a text from Nate. I glance at the camera. The timing is too perfect for it to be a coincidence.
Professor: I didn’t mean to scare you this morning
Me: You didn’t
I lie.
Professor: I meant that I love you like family. Like someone special in my life. Nothing more.
Is he lying? And if not, how do I respond? I love you too?
Me: I get it. You remember me differently than I remember you.
I roll my eyes at my stupid comment.
Me: You have the feelings. I just have memories.
Me: Not that I don’t have any feelings for you.
“No … not that.” I cringe.
Me: I think you’re a nice guy.
Yeah, that’s not it either. I don’t look at the camera, he’ll see my nervous embarrassment.
Professor: Good thing I’m not asking you out on a date. The ‘nice guy’ comment might sting with rejection.
Looking at his response, I hide my grin behind Morgan’s head on my chest.
Me: I have a hard time believing any woman has ever rejected you.
Professor: This girl I knew many years ago rejected me quite often. But I was persistent.
“You’re not playing fairly,” I murmur while typing my reply.
Me: I can’t say for sure, since I got an F in flirting as a teenager, but from observing well-adjusted girls around me, my guess is the girl you knew was playing hard to get. IDK
Professor: You got an F in flirting?
Me: Don’t you have a job to do?
Professor: When are you seeing Dr. Albright again?
Me: Tomorrow night. Why? Are you going to eavesdrop outside of her door?
Professor: Lol if I can get my parents to watch Morgan, I just might.
Me: Off topic … are Daisy’s parents still alive?
Professor: Yes
Me: Do you think if I met Daisy’s parents that it would trigger more memories? I mean, they’re the people she saw every day for fifteen years.
Professor: Do you want to meet them?
Yes. No. I’m not sure. There’s a mix of fear, intrigue, and excitement swirling in my stomach. If I concentrate on Daisy and let that part of me bleed to the surface, then I absolutely want to meet her parents. I want to see her room, crawl in her bed. Riffle through her dresser drawers. Dear God, I hope they don’t really still have all of her—my—stuff twenty-two years after saying a final goodbye.
Me: I think I do.
Professor: I’ll arrange it.
Me: What does that mean? You’re not going to say anything about me, are you? How will you explain me—us.
Professor: I’ll think of something. I’m incredibly smart like that.
Me: Gagging.
Professor: Work calls. Give Morgan a kiss from me.
I tip my chin and kiss the top of her head and wink at the camera in the corner.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“Thank you.”
Griffin squeezes my hand. “Stop thanking me.”
I knock on the door to Dr. Albright’s office.
“Come in.”
“But seriously …” Before opening her door, I face him. “Thank you for coming with me. You could be with a million other normal women with normal names, but you’re choosing me, even though marrying me is only going to change my last name. And for the rest of my life I may have to deal with freeloading spirits from past lives. Yet…” I grin “…you’re still here.”
“If you keep talking like that, you might convince me to turn and run. Stop while you’re ahead, Swayz.”
Lifting onto my toes, I press my lips to his. He kisses me back, just enough to impart his spearmint taste to the tip of my tongue. Griffin is yummy in every sense of the word.
“Hi, Dr. Albright.” I slip off my jacket. “I’d like you to meet my fiancé, Griffin Calloway.”
She meets us halfway and shakes his hand. “Very nice to meet you, Griffin. Please have a seat. Can I offer either one of you water or tea?”
“Tea would be lovely.”
I raise an eyebrow at Griffin. He smirks.
I’m not sure I’ve ever heard him say the word lovely.
“Swayze?”
“Yes, I think I’ll have some tea as well. Thank you.”
“Did you both have a nice Thanksgiving?”
With a smile, I glance at Griffin. It was our first Thanksgiving together. And it was perfect. Scott and Sherri invited my mom as well as my grandparents to dinner.
No talk of Nate or past lives.
Lots of wedding talk. Good food. Laughter. And family.