To be so lucky {H.S.} ✔️

Chapter 22

Time is a tricky thing. Although technically the passage of a minute boils down to the same sixty seconds every time, sometimes those seconds seem to linger on forever, while other times, they seem to fly by at the speed of light. That was the case with our trip to the island; one day we were arriving, cheerfully eating Vanda's ravioli in the kitchen like two little kids, the next one it was time to pack up our things and go back home.

"I don't wanna go." I pouted, curling up in the bed. Harry joined in, lying on his side, next to me.

"I know I should be playing the grown-up part because one of us has to do it, but... I don't want to go, either."

"But we have to."

"I know." Harry pulled me to him, kissing my lips softly.

"These days here, you and me... This was the happiest I've ever been. I know I've said that before, but this time is different. I don't think there could ever be anything in this world that would make me feel as perfectly contented as I've felt here."

"You need to start giving me a little more credit, you know?"

"What do you mean?" I frowned, confused.

"I mean that you should give me a chance to prove to you that I can make you very happy, no matter where we are on the globe."

Those words made me smile. I was sure Harry meant what he was saying, but there were things out there, in the real world, that would always make his statement harder to fulfill. "You do make me happy, no matter where we are. You... You know what I meant. Here, it was just the two of us."

"And Oscar."

Looking at the couch, where my dog was sleeping on his back, his tongue hanging out of his mouth, I giggled. "And Oscar."

"We're going to be fine, baby." Harry's expression was more serious now. "Even if you don't say it, I'm pretty sure I know what's making you apprehensive right now. But I'm asking you to trust me. Trust that I will do everything in my power to make sure we're okay."

Closing my eyes, I rested my head on his chest. "I know, I know. I'm sorry I'm such a drama queen."

Harry giggled, running his hand up and down my back. We were in silence for a long time before he spoke again. "We're still agreeing on you coming back to California with me, right?"

"Yes. I'm not exactly eager to go back home, trust me." My mood got sulky, all of the sudden. Although the subject of my psycho fan had been constantly peeking in through my random thoughts, it had been fairly easy to forget about my own home whilst being on the island. However, as the time to come back approached, it got progressively harder to ignore the bitterness in my heart. "That bastard managed to ruin my perfect safe haven for me. I'm not sure when I'll be able to step foot inside my own house. If that isn't sad..."

"Shh. It's okay, baby. We'll figure it out, together." Harry kissed my nose, before continuing, "Have you heard from detective Blackmar?"

I shook my head, trying not to let the feeling of disappointment take over me. "Nope. Nothing. I kinda secretly hoped that everything would be solved when we got back. So much for hoping..."

"I hoped for that too, baby. But hey, look at me." I tilted my head up, looking into his eyes. "You'll be safe with me. Promise."

We fell silent, both lost in our own thoughts. I'd had two weeks to process everything that happened, from the break-in to the night of Val's engagement dinner. Over time, I had come to one upsetting conclusion: whoever was terrorising me, wanted to punish me for Ben's death. I couldn't put my finger on the why yet, Ben and I hadn't talked to each other in years, but in my heart, I knew that conclusion to be true. Any shred of doubt I could have had over my train of thought, vanished when I shared my thoughts with detective Blackmar, and he confirmed he'd been thinking the same thing.