Natalie lowered her head in shame.
“You shouldn’t feel bad about saying that, Natalie. Because it was the truth.”
Her head came up.
“Before you, I couldn’t fully see my mother and father. I couldn’t see them like an adult sees another adult. I was blinded by secrets and hurt. Because of you, I’m seeing them as three-dimensional people who made mistakes, and suffered, and who still managed to love and be loved. I’m seeing their flaws—trust me, I see them clearly—but I’m seeing their humanity more than ever, as well. You gave me that, Natalie.”
She stifled a sob.
“And I started to realize something else on that plane. I know how uncertain you’ve been at times about us being together. I know you haven’t had that much experience with guys. I started to think maybe after what happened in Lake Tahoe, your guilt and your insecurity got the better of you. I started to think—well, hope, I guess—maybe you’d made a decision about breaking up based on those things,” he said, his voice growing gruff. “And not about what was really in your heart.”
The sob finally escaped her throat. She took one step, and suddenly he’d closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye.
“Natalie.”
That was all Liam said. One word, whispered hoarsely against her neck, and tears of joy burst from her eyes, because all the distilled longing in his voice was more powerful than all the doubts she’d had ever since he’d gone…
All the doubts she’d collected in a lifetime.
“I missed you so much,” she said.
He rubbed her back, as if signaling for her to look at him. She lifted her head and saw that a small smile shaped his firm mouth.
“I think I must have first fallen in love with you when I saw you dancing on this beach,” he murmured.
Her laugh sounded ragged with mingled disbelief and joy.
“Do you know what I think we should do?” Liam asked her quietly.
She shook her head. It was impossible for her to speak at the moment, as full as her heart felt.
“I think we should turn George Myerson’s saloon into a dance studio. That way I won’t always be driving down to White Sands when I wake up in the middle of the night and find you gone from bed. And you know what else?”
“What?” she asked wetly.
“I don’t think you should spend another night anywhere but in my arms. Ever.”
Fresh tears spilled down her face.
His expression softened when he fully took in how overwhelmed she was.
“Why are you crying?” he whispered.
“I thought…I thought maybe you wouldn’t be able to forgive me. I thought it was just a matter of time before you saw it was all a big mistake.”
“So you decided to be the one to end things?”
Natalie nodded, feeling foolish. “It hurt so much to let you go,” she said shakily. “I was stupid. I hope you understand. I was the one who caused you all this grief. Before me, you’d considered your parents’ marriage solid…sanctified. Before me, Deidre was your full sister, not your half one.”
“Deidre will always be my sister. Completely,” he said quietly, brushing tears off her cheeks with his thumb. “Nothing can change that. I only wish my father could have given himself time to reflect. He would always be Deidre’s father. Always.”
He placed his hand at the back of her head and brought her head down so he could land several hungry kisses on her mouth. “You were right to do what you did. You and I had nothing to do with the events that led up to that crash, but we had a right to know why it happened. I’m glad you asked me to look into this.”
“You are?” she breathed out in wonder.
“Oh, yeah,” he said certainly before he gently placed her feet on the ground, keeping their bodies pressed close. “You were the one who prodded me into doing what I should have done a long time ago. I’m thankful for that, more thankful than you’ll ever know. It hasn’t been easy, but stuff like this rarely is, I guess.”
She stared up at his face cast in moonlight, thinking he was the most miraculous thing she’d ever seen in her life.