She was absolutely, devastatingly right.
Hehadbeen ashamed. Not of Grace—never of Grace—but of what people would think. Of what it would cost him. Of losing the carefully constructed image he'd built his entire life around.
And in the process, he'd lost the only thing that actually mattered.
"People who don't know Grace might think she was like her parents,” she said. "But people who do know her? We adore her." A pause. "Can't say the same for a man who treats her like garbage.”
Luke closed his eyes briefly.
God.
The shame was almost physical. A weight pressing down on his chest.
He'd spent months telling himself he was protecting his reputation. His career. His family's name.
All the while, he'd been destroying it. Destroying his own integrity.
And worse—so much worse—he'd been hurting Grace.
Making her feel small. Unworthy.
Luke opened his eyes and forced himself to look at Mrs. Caldwell.
"You're right," he said, voice rough. "I was—" He stopped. Swallowed. "I was an idiot."
Mrs. Caldwell's expression didn’t soften.
"I hurt her.” His voice cracked. "And I hate myself for that."
The silence stretched.
Then Mrs. Caldwell smiled—small, approving. "I'm glad to see you doing the right thing now."
He nodded, throat thick. "So am I."
Mrs. Caldwell returned to her roses, conversation clearly over.
Luke stood in the driveway a moment longer, chest tight and full and aching all at once.
He looked at Grace's house.
At the place he'd once entered only under cover of dark.
At the home belonging to the woman he'd convinced himself was a liability.
She wasn't.
Sheneverhad been.
She was the best thing in his life.
He couldn't undo the past. Couldn't take back the nights he'd left before dawn or the times he'd looked past her on Main Street or the way he'd made her feel like she had to settle for scraps.
But he could do better now.
Hewoulddo better.
CHAPTER 37
