Chapter 59

When I finally arrived at the hospital, I drove around the car park, cursing under my breath as I desperately searched for a parking space. When I finally found one and parked up, I slid out of the car and hurried towards the entrance, dodging around the parked ambulances and flocks of doctors, nurses and patients, moving inside and heading towards the reception desk.

It was busy inside, the waiting area was full, and doctors and nurses were herding patients from the chairs to cubicles. I looked around, trying to see if I could spot Kat among the crowd, but there was no sign. I walked past the seating area craning my neck to look further up the hall and around the back of the reception desk, biting the inside of my cheek and drumming my thumb against the side of my index finger in anticipation. I turned to the right, about to try the next hallway, when I came face to face with the last person that I wanted to see. Travis.

"Evan, Hi." He greeted me awkwardly.

As if on autopilot, my hands clenched into fists at my side, and my jaw tensed. I felt that building desire to swing my fist into the side of his face and watch him crumple to the floor. I didn't have a chance to react though as I heard the voice that I'd missed so much, speak up from behind me.

"Evan? Please, don't do this here." She whispered frantically, stepping closer and positioning herself at the side, almost between us.

"I'm glad I got the chance to see you actually," Travis began, ignoring Kat, and focusing on me, "I wanted to apologise. I'm sorry, I was out of line kissing Kat the other night. I got carried away and I shouldn't have acted on my impulses or put Kat in that position."

I was taken aback by his words, and I felt my anger being replaced by surprise.

"I've missed Kat ever since I left, and I've wanted her back for so long. I just got swept up in the moment, but I didn't mean to interfere and I definitely didn't mean to cause any upset."

The way he said he missed her, I could definitely understand that. He had been without her for a long time now. I had only been without her for a matter of days and felt like my world was reduced to darkness. I couldn't help but empathise with him, even though I hated what he did, I knew why he did it, and I felt the tension ease from my body.

"I understand." I said, noticing the look of surprise that flickered across his face, before he recovered, and adopted a distant professionalism.

"Do you love her?" He asked.

I looked to Kat, who stood watching the exchange with wide eyes, shock and anxiety clearly evident on her beautiful face.

"Yes. I love her." I said clearly, not tearing my eyes from hers.

Her lips curved at the edges and a smile formed, her eyes twinkling in the fluorescent lighting.

"Then good luck." Travis said genuinely.

I heard a shuffle, and tore my eyes from Kat, turning to look at Travis and seeing him about to look away.

"Thank you." I replied, holding out my hand.

He looked surprised by the gesture, but with a quick glance to me, then to Kat, he took my hand and shook it with a small smile, then left. I turned to Kat and saw the relief in her eyes.

"Can we talk?" I asked.

She nodded, and tilted her head behind her.

"We can go to the staff room."

She led me to the room, and we ducked inside, the noise from the waiting room dulled the moment that the door was closed.

Kat opened her mouth to speak, but I held up my hand. I knew that I had to speak my mind first.

"I was an idiot. I was hurting and stubborn and just an idiot, and I'm sorry."

Kat's eyes dropped to the floor, and when she looked back up again there were tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry too, I never meant to hurt you." She said, her voice croaking with emotion.

I stepped forwards, inhaling her sweet scent that I'd craved since the last time that I saw her. I reached up, cradling her face with my hands, my thumbs catching the tears that fell from her honey brown eyes and wiping them from her cheeks.

"I know." I whispered softly, "We both made mistakes that night, but I made the worst one. I let you walk out that door, I let you feel like you were alone, and I gave up on us."

I felt her body quiver as she took a shuddering breath.

"But the kis-" She started.

"It doesn't matter." I interrupted, shaking my head. "All that matters is that I love you." I traced her jaw with my fingertips, and then moved my hand lower, until it rested over her stomach. "I love both of you. I'm not going anywhere, I want us to be together, me, you and our baby... as a family."

She didn't speak, one of her small hands resting over mine where it lay against her stomach. Anxiety fluttered inside me, panic climbing up my throat as I waited for her to react. Then suddenly, she launched at me, and we were wrapped in a tight embrace, her head nuzzling against my neck.

"I love you too." She whispered.

Her words were music to my ears, instantly soothing away the uneasiness inside me, flooding my heart with warmth and making me happier than I'd ever felt before. I squeezed her tighter and pressed a tender kiss to the top of her head. She pulled back, looking up at me, her eyes meeting mine, and her hand resting against my cheek as she smiled.

"I love you." She repeated firmly, "I should have said it before, but I didn't know how to."

"Forgot how to open your mouth and make words?" I chuckled teasingly.

The tension that had been present before broke, and she playfully swatted my arm before laughing herself.

"You're such a jerk." She laughed, dancing out of my grasp.

"But I'm your jerk." I replied, tugging her back to my side.

"Yes, you are."

I pressed my lips to hers, and kissed her deeply, pouring all of the love I had for her, into the kiss.

"I wish I could steal you away right now." I muttered as we broke apart.

"Sadly, I've got to work." Kat groaned, taking a look behind her as a crash sounded outside the door.

I hated the idea of letting her go again so fast. I wanted to spend as much time as I could with her. As that thought went through my head, an idea occurred to me.

"Move in with me?"

Kat's head spun around so fast that she clutched her neck.

"What?" She gasped.

"Move in with me." I repeated.

She blinked several times in quick succession, clearly shocked at the sudden proposition.

"Is this because of the baby? Because I haven't even-"

I shook my head and held my hands up.

"No, it's because of us. I know that it seems fast, but it doesn't feel fast to me. I don't want to be without you. I want to wake up with you and have breakfast with you, especially if you're wearing my shirts." I winked at her, remembering how incredible she looks in them, her laugh echoed in the room as I continued. "To spend the time between your shifts together, and wait for you at home when you've had a hard day. I missed you when we were apart and I don't want to feel like that again."

She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, biting it as she thought over what I'd said, then her face lit up with a grin.

"Okay, yes!" She said happily.

I couldn't hide my delight as I swept her up into my arms and showered her with kisses. It was amazing the difference that just a few hours made. That morning I woke up, disheartened and alone, and now here I was, holding the woman I love in my arms and excitedly looking forward to her moving in. It had been a bumpy week, and much of our future was still uncertain, but one thing was for sure, now that I had her back, I wasn't ever going to let something come between us again.