All My Heart (Count On Me Book 4) (30 page)

Epilogue

Belle

It’s six A.M and I’m up early in order to get ready for my first day back at school. Kayden is nowhere to be found, which can only mean one thing.

He’s up to something.

Coming home after spending a little over a week attached to a hospital bed while the doctors ran their tests, I thought it would be hard. In the hospital, it was almost as if the reality of everything that happened to me was dulled down.

I woke up every few hours when the medication wore off to find Kay
den asleep in the chair or other times where I opened my eyes and came face to face with his staring back at me. Other than the one time Dillon was in the room when I woke up, it became a comfortable routine and one I wasn’t looking forward to changing when Doctor Holbrook finally gave his okay for my release.

The day he finally gave me his blessing to leave, I wanted to tell him to let me stay for a few more days, that’s how scary
the thought of going home was. I thought that walking through my front door, I’d be forced to live through the rage I saw in Kayden’s eyes, the fear in Isaac’s and even worse, his accusations on repeat. None of that happened.

It felt okay. I was calm, relaxed and after a few minutes of standing in the doorway just staring off into space, Kayden wrapped his arms around me and everything just felt right. The disconnection I felt briefly no longer there and our very real bond back in its full intensity.

We settled easily into our old routine, at least until it came time to go to bed the first night. That’s where things had to change.

~*~*~

“I can’t do this.”

He’s walked me to the door, kissed the top of my head the same way as he always does, but I can’t pull away from him the way I’m expec
ted to and go to bed.

It’s not even that I can’t do it. I don’t want to.

“You can’t do what?”

“This.” I say, motionin
g between the two of us and our separate rooms. “I can’t do this.”

“You’re not tired?” He asks and I shake my head. It’s not tha
t. I told him when we were on the sofa that I needed to sleep. This is frustrating. Explaining I don’t want to go to bed without him should be easy, but it’s not. We’ve shared this monumental thing now and it’s made it all awkward.

“I’m tired. I want to go to bed but I—”

“Don’t want to do it alone?”

Thank god. He read my mind.

“Yes.” I admit feeling my cheeks starting to overheat. Crap. I don’t wanna blush now.

“Belle, I’m gonna ignore the obvious way you’re affecting me right now because I need to ask you something important.”

“What?”

“Are you sure?”

“Sure about what?”

“It’s your
first night home. Your head—are you sure it wouldn’t be easier to sleep alone?”

And he calls me the naïve one? How he can think for a second that sleeping apart from him is easier is beyond me.

“Do you want to sleep alone?”

“Are you kidding me? I want you in my arms all night. I just don’t want it to be uncomfortable or make you feel pressured.”

“Kayden?”

“Yes, sunshine?”

“Will you please sleep with me?”

Pulling me into him without a second’s hesitation, he kisses the top of my head again before pulling back enough to lean in and brush his lips against mine.

“Remember how I said I was affected by you a second ago?”

“Yes.”

“Saying things like that makes it worse.” He whispers and his lips lift until he’s grinning.  “I know I’m irresistible and it’s hard keeping your hands off me, but you’re gonna have to do it because we’re going to bed to sleep.”

His grin turns into full on laughter when I lift my hand and smack him in the chest and hearing it, especially after going so long without it, I join him.

“Maybe separate beds is the right move after all. I don’t think there’ll be enough room for me with you already sharing space with that gigantic ego of yours.”

“Ouch.” Clutching his hand to his chest, I laugh and he leans
in and kisses me, the laughter draining away as my senses tune into the frequency that is uniquely Kayden. It’s only when we break apart that he says the seven words that have the ability to stop my heart.

“Let me take you to bed, Belle.”

~*~*~

After the routine of going to bed and waking up with him for the last week while I recuperated, waking up alone today, it’s strange even though I know I have nothing to worry about.

He’s going to come back and it’s proven when I finally make my way out the kitchen and see the paper on the bar.

Isabelle,

My air, my reason, my eternal sunshine. I love you.

I
energy
you.

I guess you know by now that I’m no
t here, but you’ll see me soon, I promise.

Open the fridge, grab the
plate and warm up your breakfast. Eat it because if you don’t, when I see you, I’ll know.  When you’re done pick out something pretty to wear (So basically wear anything you own) and when you’ve done meet me out front.

Don’t skip steps either because I’ll know that too.  :)

Belle hurry, because I already miss you and I haven’t even left yet. <3

Yes, I was right. He’s up to something and judging from the way he asked me to hurry, it’s something I’ve got another time limit for. Only this time, it’s because the feeling is mutual.

I miss him too.

Kayden

“This has got to be the craziest fucking thing I’ve ever been a part of.” Dillon moans before doing what I need him to and blowing all of his hot air and complaints into the balloons instead of at me.

“Says the guy that asked me to drape a million lights all over the ravine trees. This is tame compared to that shit. Besides, with the amount of shit that spews out of your mouth, you’ve got more than enough air to fill a few balloons.”

Standing to his feet and making his way over to me, he releases the balloon from his mouth and as the air releases, the balloon hits me in the face and he cracks up laughing.

“Asshole.”

“You really need a new insult.”

“How many of these do you want?” Eric calls from the corner where he and Amelia, along with Cadence are all doing the same thing as my irritating best friend and complaining a whole lot less about it.

“Seventeen for the list of words I gave all of you and six separate from that, but I took care of those.”

“You could have just said twenty-three.” He responds, his expression deadpan as always, which just makes Dillon start laughing again.

“I like it when Carmen puts you in your place.”

“Shut up, Dill. Just do what I need you to do. You know, what you’re good at?”

“What’s that?”

Eric and Amelia start to snicker in the corner, catching on quickly and because I feel like being a total dick, I just smile, shrug and make my way over to the window.

As soon as the balloons are taken care of, the six most important ones already blown with the words across
them, it’ll be time to put the rest of the plan in motion.

The on
ly thing missing now is the other important piece. The one piece that isn’t Isabelle.

Before I went to visit Isaac, I knew I wanted to do this, but at the time I hadn’t worked it all out in my head. I only had the basic idea and was prepared to run with it. After talking to him, seeing the way he cares about her, I knew I had to make him a part of it. For this to mean as much as I want it to, him being there depends on it.

Watching for any sign of movement across the street where I know by now that she’s gotten my note, I see nothing and turn my attention back to the people in the room as they continue talking, all of them happier than I’ve ever seen them.

This, what I’m about to do, wouldn’t be possible
without their help. Eric, Amelia, Cadence and Dillon, they’re as much a part of me as Belle is and I don’t know where I would be without them.

They’re my family and they’re proof that not everyone that loves you leaves. Sometimes, they stay.

Pulling out my phone, I type out a quick text to Isaac, letting him know where and when to meet us and after I see that it’s sent open up another one and type one out to Belle. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve done this, but with all of the time I had to kill in the hospital alone, I’ve got more than enough songs to make up for it.

“Miles Away” – Memphis May Fire

When I was in Toronto, this song was on repeat a lot. It reminded me of us and even now that I’m back, it still does. I miss u. <3

“Dude, we’re done. Added to yours we’ve got twenty-three balloons. Other than adding the words.” Dillon calls out and as I turn around to answer him, I realize in the time he spent talking he’s moved and is now directly behind me. “Are you sure about this?”

Understanding why he waited until he was near me to ask, the rest of the people in the room not knowing what I’m about to do, I nod.

“You think it’s the wrong move?”

“No, I don’t. It’s you and Belle. It makes perfect sense.”

He’s
right. What I’m about to do might be a lot for other people and it might even piss others off considering how young we are. But they don’t know shit and they definitely don’t know us. This day has been inevitable since the moment I met her. I’m just pissed it took me almost nineteen years to do something about it.

“Thanks.”

“Kay, if you keep it up, you’ll make me cry. Don’t you dare make my mascara run!”

“You’re an idiot.” Returning his laughter with an eye roll, I point over to the table where a massive set of balloons in different colors and sizes are waiting. “Let’s finish this up and get the show on the road, huh?”

We set to work, taking turns with the marker until everything is done. Everyone starts moving around me after it’s completed, getting their jackets and shoes on, the balloons all put together the way I need them to be. I hear my phone go off and looking down, the final piece of the puzzle comes together.

On my way there now.

Isaac’s on board.

Belle

Mayday Parade – “I Swear This Time I Mean It”

The text comes through after I’ve slipped my jacket on and knowi
ng the song, I’m glad there’s no explanation with it. With as easily as I can pull up the lyrics in my head, it’s another one that’s perfect for us. The new version.

Heading to the bar and grabbing the papers I left there earlier, I slip them into my jacket, more than a little excited to get out the door to where I know Kayden is going to be waiting for me.

It’s only after I’ve made my way out and shut and locked the door that I turn and see who’s leaning against the hood of Kayden’s car and it’s definitely not him.

Dillon.
Again.

“Don’t look so happy to see me. You’ll burst.” He laughs when I reach the car.

“I was expecting—”

“Romeo, I know. Sorry to disappoint, but you’re stuck with me.”

Laughing at his joke before opening the door and sliding my body into it, careful to pull the seatbelt over my lap, Dillon does the same and laughs the minute he sees me all buckled in.

“Shi
t. I’m not that bad of a driver, am I?”

“Is that a joke?”

“It was supposed to be. Wait! Do you really think I’m a bad driver?”

“No, but if you don’t shut up and take me to Kayden, I might start.”

“Who are you and what did you do with Belle?”

“Stop stealing my lines.” I smile remembering the drive to To
ronto when I asked him the very same thing.

“Fine. Let’s get the princess to her prince before he turns into a frog or however that story goes.”

He pulls away from the curb and the rest of the ride is driven in silence, but where before it would have been uncomfortable, this time it’s not. It’s relaxing and exactly what I need before whatever it is Kayden’s got planned. A couple minutes after we pull away. I close my eyes and just enjoy the peacefulness of the drive.

“Psst.” Dillon whispers before tapping me on the shoulder. “We’re here.”

Opening my eyes, I take in where here is and his earlier words are true. The ride really wasn’t long and where we are, is exactly where I want to be.

Wexfield Memorial Park.

The place where Kayden kissed me for the first time.

“Oh god, look out! She’s got a dreamy look in her eye! Something pretty big must have happened here.”

“Dillon?”

“Yeah?