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I told you that what I’d felt when I saw the photographs was indescribable.

This instant was like that, but times ten.

And in the completely opposite direction.

Joy.

My heart breaking – in a good way.

I wanted to cry – in a very good way.

I felt as though happiness was swelling inside me so fast I might burst.

And terror. I was terrified – of how fast it was happening, of what it meant.

But mostly I was astonished that he’d said it, that he’d actually said it.

Overwhelmed.

Dizzy.

Desire. I wanted him, I wanted to kiss him, I wanted to make love to him –

Caution. He was drunk, he had to be drunk, that’s why he was saying it, would he be saying it if he hadn’t had half a bottle of scotch in the last two hours?

I stared at him, my mouth open, trying to swim through the raging torrent of emotions threatening to drown me.

His smile faded slightly, and his face grew worried. “Lily…?”

I burst into a gigantic smile as tears filled my eyes.

“I love you, too,” I whispered.

As soon as I said it