Fate's Surrender (Eternal Sorrows Book 3) by Sarra Cannon (android based ebook reader txt) 📕

on the big screen TV, treating them all to a rewatch of the entire Matrix Trilogy.

Karmen had popped some popcorn and passed out big heaping bowls to each of them, along with a few beers.

For a while, they’d all been able to forget the world had ended. They were just a normal group of friends hanging out at the beach.

Later, as Parrish stood on the balcony of her temporary bedroom overlooking the sea, tears involuntarily cascaded down her face. She attempted to wipe them away as Noah joined her.

“I thought you were sleeping, already,” she said, sniffing and putting on a smile as best she could.

“What are you doing out here so late?” he asked, draping a blanket over her shoulders. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s stupid,” she said, turning away to watch the lights of the cruise ships in the distance.

“How you’re feeling isn’t stupid,” he said softly, rubbing her back. “Just tell me.”

She took a deep breath.

“Is it crazy to say that the last few days have been some of the best of my life?” she asked, the tears falling again just from admitting it out loud. “I mean, I know it’s crazy. Everything about the world right now is horrifying, and I’m sad and scared, and I wish everything was different. But at the same time, there’s something nice about being here with you guys.”

Noah put his arm around her.

“It’s not crazy at all,” he said. “I know exactly what you’re feeling.”

“You do?” she asked, wiping the tears from her face again.

God, she hated to cry in front of anyone.

“Of course,” he said. “It’s like, yeah, I miss my dad like crazy. I miss playing baseball and hanging out with my friends. There are days I still can’t believe Aaron’s gone or that I’ll never see him again. But at the same time, being here with all of you feels like coming home again.”

She nodded, glancing up at him and feeling his words to her core.

“That’s exactly how I feel,” she said. “Except I never had an Aaron. Would you believe me if I said I’ve never once sat down with a group of friends, or even my own family, and watched a full movie before?”

He studied her and shook his head. “That can’t be true,” he said. “Your parents never sat down and watched a movie with you on a Saturday night?”

“Not once,” she said. “And I know it’s so trivial, like poor me in my fancy suburban neighborhood watching movies all alone in my room, but still. Tonight was nice. For the first time maybe ever, I really felt like I belonged somewhere.”

“We’ve always belonged together,” he said, placing his hand on her face. “I was just too chicken to ask you out, but I wish I had the very first time I thought about it, years ago. I wish I’d gotten up the nerve to walk next door with a bouquet of roses or something and just asked you to dinner. Or even to just come sit with me on the steps and talk about life, you know? I wish I’d taken you to a dozen movies.”

She laughed, moving closer to him.

“Me, too,” she said.

He leaned down, then, and kissed her.

Twenty-Eight

Noah

How long had he wanted to kiss Parrish Sorrows? Years, maybe.

Centuries.

She’d always been the one, even before he remembered anything about their past. His heart had always belonged to her. Why had he been so scared to ask her out for all these years?

He’d wasted so much time worrying what his friends would think, scared she’d reject him anyway if he asked. All of that seemed so ridiculous now.

So pointless.

That was one thing the apocalypse had taught him.

When it came down to it, worrying about what other people thought of you was a waste of your life. Being true to yourself was all that really mattered.

And the one truth of his life was standing right in front of him.

In the moonlight, her beauty took his breath away. He loved her, and in a couple days, he could lose her forever.

Not just for this lifetime. For eternity.

It struck him so hard, he couldn’t stand to let another moment go by without making sure she knew just how he felt.

It didn’t matter if he’d told her in a thousand lifetimes. He wanted her to know now.

And always.

“Parrish, no matter what happens when we get to New York, I need you to know that I love you,” he said. “And not just in an end-of-the-world-panic kind of way. In a true, core of my heart, could-never-love-anyone-else, would-die-to-protect-you way. Even without our memories of who we were back in that other world or how we met or came to fall in love in the first place, I know without a shadow of a doubt that you are the only person I’ve ever loved. The only person I ever could love. You are my eternity.”

Her eyes filled with tears as her arms circled around him, pulling his lips to hers.

“I love you, too,” she whispered.

Noah never knew that kissing could feel like this. Like being set on fire, but also like coming home. Electricity and comfort at the same time. He felt her fingers dig into his back, pulling him closer.

He wanted her. Hungered for more. He wanted to lose himself in her softness and her warmth. Maybe they could make each other forget the horrors of losing their families and watching people feast on flesh.

They spent the entire night in each other’s arms, holding on as if their lives depended on it, and praying for an eternity of nights left together like this.

In the morning, they didn’t join the others by the pool. Instead, they stayed in bed until late afternoon, talking and making up for lost time. Noah felt a little bit guilty about taking time away from their practice to stay in bed all day, but later, when they finally emerged to attend their nightly meeting with David and Zoe, he let go all of his guilt.

“We go