He nodded and opened the door, then said, “Just… don’t disappear completely, okay? That freaked me out when you were kidnapped, I’m still worried about you.”
“I will do my best to not disappear, I will try to tell you if I go somewhere.”
“Good, thanks.”
He climbed in the truck and drove from my driveway.
I waved as he turned onto the main road.
We had broken up months ago, but now it finally felt over.
4
ALEXANDRIA
JULY 8TH, 2004 - LAUREL RIDGE
Iturned around to see Torin coming from the house. He leaned against the rail.
I had just said goodbye to Cooper, and it had hurt deeply, the kind of ache that had made all else go away. I had stopped thinking about the breakfast and how hungry I was, and for a brief moment hadn’t thought about Torin — it had been just Cooper, andwas he alright?
My nose was surely pink, my cheeks wet, but now there was Torin and the ache lifted. He was my strong shoulders, my protector and husband and my love, and just the sight of him made everything okay.
I smiled.
He gestured his chin up, meaning, come here. I walked slowly to the porch, climbed the steps, and stood in front of him.
I gave him a frown.
He frowned back. “Ye well, mo leannan?”
“It’s kind of hard to explain. Cooper and I broke up months ago, but… I guess he needed to say goodbye.”
He took my hand and held it down between us.
“I mean, he had already left. I don’t know why he needed to, and I’m not really sad, at all, it’s got nothing to do with you, I promise. I just, it was sad to have him say goodbye.”
Tears welled up again. “I’m sorry.”
“Ye daena hae tae be sorry, mo leannan.” He wiped my tears with his big rough thumbs. “It sounds verra sad tae say goodbye tae someone who ye were fond of.”
I nodded and leaned forward with my head on his chest. His big arms went around me and he hugged me.
The tears came steadily. “He said he understood, that I wasn’t the same person anymore. That he knew I was gone. And it’s true but it’s really hard to hear it, you know?”
He spoke into my hair. “I can see why it would be.”
“It’s not easy to become a totally different person. I was Lexi and now I’m someone else entirely.”
He put his hands on my hips and looked me in the eyes. “Ye are a Princess whose throne has been usurped, Alexandria. Ye hae a hard road ahead of ye, but I promise ye I will be beside ye, protectin’ ye. Yer brother will restore yer family’s kingdom, ye arna alone, and even Master Cooper will return tae yer life eventually.”
“You think?”
“Och aye, I lived in a castle, there was always someone at odds with a kinsman, everyone was fightin’ and arguin’. Ye think on him as kin — a brother o’ the heart. He’ll come back tae ye.”
“And you would be good with that?”
He nodded. “Aye. I wouldna want ye tae lose anyone ye are fond of, there has been enough of that.”
