Chapter 50

The thing about healing is no one really tells you when it's over. There's no countdown, no confetti, no voice whispering, "You're all better now." Just a gradual quieting of pain. Eventually, you would reach a moment like this where you're standing in front of a mirror in your favorite dress, steady on your feet, realizing you made it. I survived the car crash and now my leg is fully healed. My chances were low but I overcame the odds. Maybe it was my strength to fight or the strength that came from the support of my family, friends, and Macklin.

My fingers brushed over the silky fabric, straightening the hem. It felt surreal to be wearing it again. The dress was navy blue, satin-soft, with a deep neckline and off-the-shoulder sleeves that made me feel a lot more like me again. Confident.

I heard his voice float in from downstairs. "Lex? You good?"

I smiled, gave myself one last look in the mirror, and opened the door. "Coming!"

I took the stairs carefully because it still felt new. Strange, even. Just yesterday, my doctor gave me the all-clear. No more crutches. No more limits and tonight, Macklin had something planned as a surprise, only asking me to "trust him and dress pretty as usual." I reached the bottom step and paused.

He was waiting for me, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Dressed in a dark gray suit and black button-up shirt. His hair was styled but still tousled in that perfect Macklin way. He looked up and then froze.

His eyes swept over me slowly, "Lex..."

"What?" I teased, trying to act cool even though my heart was pounding in my chest.

"You look... amazing." He blinked. "Like, how is this real amazing."

I laughed, walking the last few steps down and letting him take my hand. "Thank you."

His fingers curled around mine. "You okay walking in those heels?"

"They're short," I said. "And my leg feels fine."

"Still, you can lean on me if you need to."

I smiled and leaned into him anyway. "Always."

The drive was quiet in the best way. The windows were cracked open, and a warm breeze drifted in. We didn't talk much, just soft glances, his thumb brushing over the back of my hand every now and then. Music played low from the speakers. Something acoustic and gentle. I didn't realize where we were until we turned onto a familiar street.

My eyes flicked to him. "Wait..."

He glanced over, grinning. "Recognize it?"

I stared out the windshield. "Are we...?"

He pulled into the small valet circle at the base of a tall building with ivy crawling up the side. "We are."

The rooftop restaurant.

Where we had our first real date. Where we danced under string lights and pretended the world didn't exist.

"I can't believe you remembered," I murmured as we stepped out of the car and into the elevator.

"Of course I remembered." His voice was soft beside me. "I've been thinking about recreating it since the day you got out of the hospital."

I glanced at him. "Seriously?"

He nodded. "It just... felt like the right time. You're back on your feet. And I wanted tonight to feel like a full circle. Like a second first date."

The elevator opened onto the rooftop, and my breath caught.

It was even more beautiful than I remembered. The balcony had been cleared of every table but one, tucked into the corner under an arch of fairy lights. A single white tablecloth fluttered gently in the breeze, two chairs set at an angle so we could face each other and the city. Candles flickered on the table, and soft music drifted from hidden speakers.

"It's just us?" I asked, wide-eyed.

He nodded. "I reserved the whole balcony."

"Macklin..."

He shrugged sheepishly. "I wanted it to be special."

It was special. The waiter led us to our table. Everything felt dreamlike. Surreal.

We ordered drinks, then food. We laughed over the menu, he still couldn't pronounce "gnocchi" and I still teased him for ordering steak at every fancy restaurant. I don't blame him though, they always taste amazing, especially at this restaurant. The conversation flowed easily, like it always did with him. No pretending, just comfort.

As we waited for our entrées, he reached across the table and took my hand again. "You're really okay?"

"Better than okay," I said. "It still feels weird. Everything shifting back to normal again but it's a good weird."

He nodded. "You've been so strong, Lex."

I looked down, while smiling up at him. This moment is so perfect. I loved every second of it.

When our food came, we ate slowly. We talked about the future. About his training. About school starting up again in the fall. He asked me if I'd considered shadowing at the hospital again once I was fully back on my feet. I told him maybe. Then he smiled and said something like, "You'd be the best damn nurse in California."

After dessert, a mouthwatering lava fudge cake, he stood and extended his hand toward me again. "Wanna dance?"

I smiled and immediately took his hand. "Always."

He led me to the center of the balcony, right under the glow of the lights. The music changed to something slower, something so sweet and romantic. We settled into a rhythm, my arms around his neck, his hands gentle at my waist.

"Remember when we danced here the first time?" I asked, resting my cheek against his shoulder.

"I remember everything about that night," he murmured. "The way you looked gorgeous. The way you laughed when I stepped on your foot."

"You did step on my foot," I reminded him, laughing.

"I was nervous."

"It's okay, I was too"

I pulled back just enough to look at him. His eyes locked on mine, warm, steady, and somehow more serious than before. The air shifted. Slowed. I felt my heart thud once, then twice, harder this time.

"Lex..."

"Yeah?" I breathed.

He paused, searching my face like he was studying every part of it, "I've been holding onto this for a while. I didn't want to say it when you were in the hospital or overwhelmed. I wanted you to feel everything when I said it. I wanted it to be perfect."

I held my breath.

"I love you." His voice was barely more than a whisper, but it felt like the loudest thing in the world. "I'm in love with you."

I felt everything all at once, like my chest was too full to hold it all in. My eyes burned, tears threatening to spill with happiness. My throat tightened and still, the words came easily.

"I love you too," I said. "I didn't know it at first. I think maybe I was afraid to feel it but I know that I've loved you for a long time as well. I love you."

His lips parted slightly, like he was stunned. Like he'd hoped I'd say it, but hadn't expected it to land like that. To be so perfect.

Then he kissed me.

It wasn't a hurried kiss. It was the kind that lingers, soft and warm and made of everything we hadn't been able to say for weeks. His hands held my waist a little tighter. My fingers curled into his jacket. The music played on, but it might as well have faded into nothing. All I could hear was his breath.

When we pulled apart, he rested his forehead against mine. "You mean it?" he whispered.

"Of course I mean it."

"I don't want to rush you."

"You're not," I said. "I'm so in love with you."

We stayed there for a while, still swaying. My heels clicked softly against the tile, and the night breeze kissed my bare shoulders.

Eventually, we headed back down to the car, still holding hands.

The drive home was quiet again, but different this time. Like it was just the beginning of us.

When we got inside my apartment, Macklin locked the door behind us, then dropped his car keys on the counter. "You tired?"

"A little," I admitted. "But good tired."

He walked over, wrapped his arms around my waist, and pressed a kiss to my temple. "Let's go lie down."

We curled up on the couch instead of the bed, tangled in a blanket, I rested my head on his chest, fingers trailing lazily over the buttons of his shirt.

"Tonight was perfect, thank you," I whispered.

He kissed the top of my head. "You made it perfect."

And with that, I closed my eyes, heart full, knowing I'd never forget this night, I finally got to tell him the truth.

I loved him and he loved me back.

-=+=-

Thank you for all the love and support, so so thankful. This is the end but maybe I'll continue it in the future when my mental health improves.

I will be marking this as completed but who knows maybe I'll continue the story with their journey as a couple. Would you guys be into that or maybe a new story with a different player like Will smith or Eklund?

Thank you so so much again for always voting and commenting and your kind words mwah