All of me.
And he still looks at me like I’m the most important thing in his world.
“Dee,” he says, his thumbs brushing my soaked cheeks. “I know this hurts. I didn’t think coming home would hit you this hard, and I hate that I didn’t see it coming. If you want to move, we can. I’ll put the manor up for sale today, no questions asked. I’ll do anything to make this easier for you. I want you to feel like you can breathe a-again.” His voice cracks. “And I’m sorry,” he adds, his jaw flexing as he looks up, blinking back the emotion. “I’m sorry I let go of your hand. I promised I wouldn’t, and I did. I let go when you needed me to hold on the most.” The guilt in his eyes slices through me like glass.
I lift my hand, brushing my fingers along his cheek, and he finally looks back down at me. My sobs slow to shaky exhales, but we’re both treading water in grief we don’t know how to survive.
His pain mirrors mine.
His love cradles it.
“I love you, Dee,” he whispers. “Nothing will ever change that.”
A tear slides down my cheek as I whisper, “I’m sorry.”
He tenses. “What for?”
“For being this crazy person,” I say with a weak, broken laugh. “I panicked. It felt like the walls were closing in on me, like I couldn’t breathe in there. I needed to get out. I don’t want to sell. I love our home. I just… I need to toughen up.” My grip tightens on his shirt again. “If I keep running, I’ll never face this. I know that. But I also don’t know how to stay and not fall apart.”
“You’re not a crazy person,” Colt murmurs, his voice low but firm, the kind that grounds me. “You’ve had major surgery, Dee. Your body’s healing, your hormones are out of whack, and your emotions are going through hell. You’ve got every right to fall apart. Stop beating yourself up for being human. Let yourselffeel this. Grieve. Rage. Cry. Whatever you need to do… I’ll be here.”
I blink up at him, heart squeezing so tight it hurts. “But who’s going to help you through it?” I whisper, my bottom lip quivering.
His expression hardens, not with anger, but determination. “We help each other. That’s what this is, what we are. A team. You’re my girl, and I’m your man. I carry you when you fall, and when it’s my turn, I know you’ll be right there beside me. Don’t waste your energy worrying about me, baby. As long as I’ve got you, I’ve got everything.”
A tiny smile pushes through my tears, and he grins like it’s gold.
“There she is. My beautiful, snot-covered, tear-streaked fiancée.” He chuckles, brushing the damp strands of hair off my face. “Still the most stunning woman I’ve ever laid eyes on, even if your face looks like it’s survived a tropical storm.”
My eyes widen as I swipe my forearm across my nose with a horrified little laugh. “Oh my God. Sorry.”
Colt laughs again and catches my chin, turning me gently back toward him. “I love you anyway.”
Then his lips press to mine.
Soft. Steady. Strong.
A surge of warmth floods my chest as I kiss him back, losing myself in everything that is him. He groans against my lips, his fingers sliding into my hair, anchoring me. I melt. I breathe again.
Until—
“Colter? Where are you?” Mum’s voice cuts through the moment.
Colt reluctantly pulls away, his eyes still locked on mine. “Down here, Liz,” he calls, not breaking contact.
She appears at the top of the stairs. “Oh, my goodness. Are you two all right? Deliah, did you fall, sweetheart?” she asks, rushing toward us.
“I’m okay, Mum. Just misjudged the stairs,” I say, trying to downplay the wreck I’ve been.
She kneels beside us, concern radiating off her. “Why are you crying? Did you hurt yourself?”
I shake my head and take her offered hand.
Colt helps lift me, then hands me my crutches, standing once I’m steady.
“No, I’m fine. I just had a bit of a panic attack, that’s all.”
“A panic attack isn’t nothing, Deliah. I think your father and I should stay a little longer to help Colter—”
