Page 117 of The Last Kiss

“Henri.” Tears prickle my eyes, slowly morphing into fast balls that torrent down my face. I don’t have anything else to give, just tears. “I’m s-so glad.” Breath. “Y-you’re here.”

“Me too, ma petite. Now where’s this doctor? I want to discuss a new heart.”

Liv’s gaze meets mine and her lips quirk in the corner. “I’m going to grab some breakfast, you guys okay?”

I don’t answer because I’m too busy staring at Henri’s face, memorising every single speck of detail I can find. The crinkles around his eyes, the curve of his mouth, the dark lashes that pause on a blink just to prove how pretty they are.

The nurse bustles out after giving Henri a stern talk on disrupting the tubes. He nods solemnly all the while stroking the back of my hand with his thumb, skirting around the plaster at the wound site of my French hospital stay. Then we are alone, unsaid words electrifying the air.

“You came?” I wince as I try to move. With a gentle hand he pushes me back down.

“Rest, mon coeur.”

“I didn’t think. I’d see you again. Henri. I’m so sorry. Sorry about Odile. Sorry about. That stupid list. I promise.”

“Julia.” I melt at the way he says my name. “It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m sorry. I took my fears and regrets out on you, and I should have told you about Odile, you would have understood. Now you are here like this because of me.” He drops his dark head like a grieving angel. “This is all on me.”

“Henri.” Breath. “I knew when I came to France that.” Breath. “It could happen. Dr Francis, he told me. I went straight to Liv’s and told her that I couldn’t not see you again.”

“She must hate me.”

“I don’t think so.”

“What’s happening to you now?”

I do my very best immobile French shrug. “Now everything shuts down, I think. It’s started, I’m so, so…”

“Beautiful.” He drops a kiss on my forehead. “So beautiful.”

“I’ve been.” Breath. “Trying to get rid of Liv. I don’t want her to be here at the end, don’t want her to remember me like that.”

Henri’s face drops. “I know what it’s like, ma Julianna, but don’t take away her chance to say goodbye.” His face steels into something like a murderous mask of vengeance. “Not that you will need to, a heart will arrive. I have faith, it will.”

Bless his little cotton socks.

“It won’t. I’ve known for months. It won’t. My blood.” Breath. “’s unusual.”

“So? So is mine? It shouldn’t be a big deal.”

“I’m B. Negative. A match takes. Longer. Or something. I forget what they said.” My eyes are fluttering shut. Why, now that he’s here, is sleep stealing in?

“Mine too.”

Our eyes meet. His hand lifts mine pressing our palms flat together. I love the rough and smooth of his touch. Even our blood is the same, this unexpected soul mate of mine and me.

“Henri,” I whisper, drawing in as much air as I can so I can try and say the important stuff clearly. “That day in the bar you changed my life. You kickstarted my living on the day I knew it was going to end.”

“And you mine, my woman of mystery. Fate wanted you to be mine.”

“Henri. I know how losing your dad.” I don’t think I can finish my words. I pause, mustering up the sounds that will articulate what I want to say. “Affected you. Please don’t let me do that to you too. I’m so glad you’re here, so glad I get to see that annoyingly handsome face one last time, but you need to leave with Liv.”

I’m done. The words have taken what little I have left.

“Are you insane?” The rest of his words are very fast and very angry, totally incomprehensible. “Non.”

“Please, promise me.”

“I’ll do no such thing. I will never leave you, not ever.”