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I drive the eet to Jiet out of the car, racing up the stairs to the apart on the door, but there’s no answer Even Brit o back down to the car, sla rain

The wind is blowing flat out now, sending rain in horizontal slashes across the street, and bending the trees almost double A newspaper stand suddenly flies down the sidewalk, bouncing past the car and sla hard into the ith a crash I jerk back in oing into full-on hurricane territory, but I still don’t quit I drive every street in town, desperate to find him

I don’t care about the stor E hi up this tin of him, until eventually, I take the turn-off to head back to the beach house Maybe he didn’t even stick around in town; ot the hell out, away from the storm, like any sane person would

It’s too late to even think about taking that exposed coastal highway, so I drive back to the house at a snail’s pace, flinching every time I hear the trees crack and sway above the road The street here is already messy with broken branches and debris blow in fro OK Then I find a downed tree: the long truck splayed right across the road There’s no driving over it; my Camaro won’t make the obstacle

I pull over at the side of the road and quickly grab et out, and cla it over OK The beach house is just a little ways further, and I fight ainst the powerful gusts of wind Grandpa built a storm cellar in the basement, and I know, I just have to make it a little further to shelter, safe from the winds

And then I see it: the distant flash of blue Emerson’s truck, in the driveway

My heart leaps

I fly down the rest of the road, skidding in the mud as I race up the drive "Emerson!" I scream, my voice lost in the wind "Where are you?!"

I try the front door, but the house is still locked tight like I left it I circle the house, wondering where he could possibly be Then I see the door towide open I race over, just as Eainst the stor a box and handfuls of my black and white prints that scatter and whip across the yard in the wind

"Eoes slack as he seesto be heard "What the hell are you doing here? You need to get inside, now!"

I shakecloser "I know!" I scream "About oes still He stares atdown the strong, chiseled planes of his face His eyes meet mine, and I see realization flare, deep in those beautiful blue pools

"I know everything!" I yell again "It’s why you left me, isn’t it? Because she asked you to"

Emerson closes his eyes a moment, and when he opens them, the fierce devotion there takes ht!" he tellsthat!" I yell I lunge forwards, taking hold of his arht as I stare intently up at hi shirt is hot, radiating a warhmy heart into every syllable "All I ever wanted is you! I caain I still love you!"

Euish I can see the war raging in his eyes between the truth he’s told hi now

"You don’tto break away "You can’t!"

"I do!" I yell, holding hih, but it’s nothing co hard inrain and tears froo Well this is my choice!"

"Tell me!" I demand, so close now "Tell me how you feel, for real this time No lies! Because whatever happens, I’m yours I’ll always be yours!"

This tih I see the last defenses in his eyes corowl, Emerson throws the box to the side and sweeps me into his arms

"I love you" Emerson chokes out, his voice thick with passion "I never stopped loving you! Not even when you were gone, not one single day"

His lips crash against mine with the force of a thousand hurricanes as he clutches h ing, all-consuin the dizzy sensation of his mouth onleft in the world I can hear nothing but the thunder of our heartbeats, feel only his arht around me; taste only him