Rising Stars. Maisey Yates

was safely in the hallway, she took a deep breath and sagged back against the door, covering her face with her hands. It was all her fault. If she hadn’t given them the car they wouldn’t have taken the detour through town. They wouldn’t have been in the accident.

      Tears burned Callie’s eyes. But the crisis was past. Her sister would recover.

      She was grateful beyond measure, but the tears weren’t just out of gratitude. Callie had a good reason to feel an extra dose of anguish today. A private reason of her own …

      She closed her eyes. She missed Eduardo so much. His handsome face. His glowing dark eyes. And his voice. She could almost hear it now, rough with an edge of Spanish accent.

      “Where’s my wife? Where is she, damn you?” The man’s voice echoed down the hallways of the small hospital. “I want to see her now!”

      She knew that voice. She still dreamed about it every night. Slowly Callie turned.

      And saw Eduardo arguing at the nurses’ station down the hall. His black hair was rumpled, and so was his suit. She’d never seen him so disheveled before, so completely out-of-place, so handsome and powerful and everything she’d ever wanted.

      “Eduardo,” she choked out.

      At the end of the hall, he turned and saw her. With a sob, she started toward him at a run, in the same instant he started running for her.

      They fell into each other’s arms, and it was only when Callie actually felt him, strong and solid beneath her hands, that she knew for sure it wasn’t a dream. She felt his protective, steadying arms around her and all the fear and shock of the last twenty-four hours fell away. She no longer had to be strong for her family. She burst into tears.

      “Callie, Callie,” he whispered fervently, kissing her forehead. “You’re all right. Thank God, you’re all right.”

      Pulling back, he looked down at her, his eyes glistening suspiciously in the hospital’s fluorescent lights. Then he wrapped his powerful arms around her tightly, holding her as if he never wanted to let her go. Callie exhaled for the first time in two months, weeping with the joy of being again in his arms.

      “You’re safe,” he breathed, stroking her hair as she pressed her face against his chest. “Safe.”

      Wiping her eyes, she looked at him in confusion. “But what are you even doing here? I thought you were in New York?”

      “Would you believe me if I said I was in the neighborhood?”

      She smiled weakly.

      “I, um, brought you some flowers and candy.” Looking around, he cursed softly. “They are here somewhere …”

      “Oh. Right.” Her heart dropped. With all the worry about her sister’s accident, she’d forgotten his week started today. She said dully, “You’re here for Marisol.”

      Eduardo stared at her, his dark eyes infinite and deep as the ocean. “I’m here for you.” He took her hands in his own. “Come back to me, Callie. Give me one more chance.”

      “What?” she breathed.

      “Be my wife. Let me be your partner, by your side. Let me spend the rest of my life loving you. And striving to deserve your love in return.”

      Her voice caught in her throat. “I …”

      He gave her an unsteady smile. “I’m too late, aren’t I?”

      “Too late?”

      He looked past her ear. “You’ve moved on.”

      Turning around, she saw Brandon peeking out of her sister’s door, his face questioning before he ducked back. Frowning, Callie turned back at Eduardo. “What are you talking about?”

      “The girl at the car rental counter told me about your accident. She also told me that you’re engaged. You and Brandon.” His eyes were bleak as he tried to smile. “I guess I should offer my congratulations.”

      Callie nearly staggered back with shock.

      “You don’t know,” she whispered. Sudden rising joy filled her heart, choking her with hope. “The engagement announcement was on my mom’s web page days ago. It was even in the newspaper this morning. But you don’t know.”

      Eduardo shook his head, his jaw tight, his eyes forlorn. “I fired my investigator two months ago. Told my lawyers not to talk about you. I even threw away my phone.”

      “Your phone?”

      “I was mad at it.” He gave her a small smile. “I still do some stupid things. But my therapist says there’s hope …”

      “Your therapist!” she cried, nearly falling over in shock.

      “Talking about the past has helped me understand the choices I’ve made as an adult. And why I was so afraid to love you.” He took a deep breath. “Because I do love you, Callie. So much.” He looked down at the green cracked tiles of the floor. “Brandon is … he is a good man. I know he’ll make you happy.”

      Moving closer, she reached up and lifted his chin. “Brandon and I aren’t together. He’s engaged to my sister.”

      Slowly Eduardo lifted his head. Shock filled his expression, followed by savage joy. “Your sister?”

      “I gave them the car yesterday and she was hurt in the crash.” She pressed her lips together. “We were worried. For a few hours last night the doctors weren’t sure she’d make it. She lost a lot of blood. But she came out of surgery this morning and the doctors say she’ll be fine. She just needs a lot of rest.”

      “Thank God.” He hugged her close and whispered, “So she’s engaged to Brandon. I always knew I liked her.”

      She pressed her cheek against his shirt, and her tears made the fabric wet as she sniffled. “Ever since it happened, all I could think about was that I wished you were here. So you could hold me and tell me that everything would be all right.”

      “Oh, querida.” For a long moment, he held her tightly then he looked down at her. “I know I’m selfish and ruthless and occasionally a jerk. There will be times in the future you’ll want to punch me. But give me one more chance to love you. Just say the word,” he vowed, “and I will never again leave your side.”

      She started to speak, but he put his finger to her lips. “Before you give your answer,” he whispered, “let me finish my argument….”

      Lowering his mouth to hers, he kissed her in an embrace so pure and breathless and true that it left her in no doubt of his love for her, and so passionate it left her dizzy and swaying in his arms.

      She looked up at him.

      “Stay with me, Eduardo,” she breathed, blinking back tears. “Don’t ever go.”

      His dark eyes lit up with joy. “Callie—”

      “I love you,” she whispered, and he kissed her again, so long and hard that several members of the hospital staff cleared their throats and made loud comments suggesting they get a room before Eduardo finally pulled away.

      “I wish I’d done things differently from the start,” he said against her hair. “That I’d given you a real wedding, and asked your father for your hand …” He snorted, his eyes twinkling as he confessed, “Do you know I actually tried to write you a poem on the flight here?”

      “You did?”

      “A love poem.”

      “A love poem from the great Eduardo Cruz.” Giggling, Callie shook her head. “Now that is something I really, really want to read.”

      “Not in this lifetime. You’d laugh yourself silly.”

      “I could do with a laugh.” Callie put her hand on his hard, rough cheek, then slowly