Beneath It All (Beneath #1) Read Online Free PDF

don’t hesitate to call with questions. Best of luck,” she said as she held the door for me.
    “Thank you.”
    *
    I don’t know how I did it, but I arrived home safely. It was a miracle because I had been shaking from the adrenaline coursing through my body for the entire fifteen-minute drive home. My nerves were about to short circuit, and I wanted to throw up.
    When I walked in, I heard “Feels Like Home” by Chantal Kreviazuk playing. The sound of her melodic voice and the piano was comforting as I walked toward the kitchen and found Noah pouring a glass of wine. The orchestra kicked in just as he turned around and saw me; a look of unease quickly washed away the smile on his face.
    “Victoria, are you all right? Your face is pale, and you look like you’re going to be sick.” The concern in his voice was evident as he guided me toward a chair in the living room before vanishing and then reappearing with a glass of water.
    He was on his knees in front of me as I took the glass from him and shakily lifted it to my mouth. I felt the cold liquid slide down my throat, and I quickly downed the entire glass, wishing it had been vodka to numb the pain. I didn’t know what to say, so I stayed quiet. Noah continued to search my face and attempted to make eye contact; when he finally did, the tears began running down my face and a sob escaped my throat.
    Time passed, and I found myself curled up in Noah’s arms in the middle of our bed, his cheek resting on the top of my head. I looked up to find his eyes red from the tears he must have shed.
    He noticed my movement, looked down at me, and simply said, “I love you.” He kissed the tip of my nose, and a small, comforting smile appeared on his face.
    “I love you too.” I shifted myself so I could sit up and face him.
    We stared at each for a few moments before I spoke. “Noah, I don’t know anything yet. I left you the message on my way to the breast clinic, and the two hours I was there seemed like an out-of-body experience. I know you want to know everything they did, but I just can’t talk about it anymore. I’m mentally exhausted.” I took a deep breath. “We need to believe that everything is okay, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I’m scared.”
    “You have every right to be scared. Look, I don’t know what you went through today, but I know it was anything but normal, and you did it alone. I’m sorry I wasn’t there with you; something came up after I got into the office, and I couldn’t get away. I should have demanded I go with you, but instead, I respected your decision to go alone.”
    He pulled me against his chest. “I may not have been there today, but I promise to be with you going forward.” I knew he felt bad about not going and hoped there wouldn’t be any future appointments for him to go to.

Chapter Three
    I AM BRAVE
    T he next morning, I woke up early and felt a little more at ease. I pulled on one of Noah’s dress shirts and made my way down to the kitchen. A hot cup of coffee and yogurt with granola were waiting for me at the breakfast bar. What I didn’t expect was the beautiful bouquet of flowers and the smiling man holding them, waiting for me. Noah usually got up and left for the office by six, and it was rare to see him in the morning.
    “Good morning, sunshine.” He leaned in and kissed my temple. “How are you feeling? Did you sleep well? How is the biopsy site? Do you need ice or ibuprofen?” His rapid-fire questions revealed his nerves. While I felt a little more at peace this morning, I could tell that he had been overthinking everything and didn’t know what to do to help me. He looked tired.
    “I’m feeling better after a good night’s sleep in your arms. I felt safe.” He placed the vase of flowers on the middle of the countertop and started fidgeting, unsure of what to do. “I could use some ibuprofen after I eat. My chest is a bit sore, and there is a little bit of bruising coming