Hearing her worries loosened something in my chest. Not that I wanted her to be in pain, but because knowing I wasn’t the only one plagued with doubts made this seem even more real.
Her face told me there was more, but if our story had taught me anything, it was that she’d tell me when she was ready, and I shouldn’t assume anything.
“I never should have walked away from you,” I murmured, tightening my grip around her. My voice was almost lost under the sound of the storm outside, but I couldn’t bring myself to talk louder. “And there’s nothing to compare, Summer. Ever. You’re my future. I know that now.”
“We were both so angry.”
“Angry?” I scoffed, shaking my head and pressing a kiss to her neck. “It was so much more than that.”
Her hand stilled on the mug handle as she adjusted herself, turning to face me. “What else was it?”
I dug a knuckle into my eye until spots danced in front of my vision, knowing if this was the path I chose, the only way forward was to give her my truth. “A culmination of everything that had been building between us. And fear of this. You. Of how much I—”
My voice broke as I swallowed, trying not to fuck this up. “It was never in the plan to let someone in again. For the longest time, I refused to let anyone get close enough to rip my life apart a second time.”
Summer’s hand pressed against her chest as she listened to the rawness in my voice. With profound clarity, I spoke from the heart, hating that it took me almost losing her to discover how much she meant to me—and what I wanted.
“I thought keeping you at arm’s length would protect me. That our friendship was enough. But the more time we spent together, the more I knew I’d never be satisfied with us as friends. And today, sitting in that courtroom and watching you, I realized something.”
“What did you realize?” she asked, voice as quiet as mine.
I paused, focusing on the steady hum of the refrigerator and the rain pelting against the window, needing to quiet the negative noise in my mind.
“I’d already let you in, woman. I let you in a while ago, and it scares the hell out of me. Because losing you—” My voice cracked again as I struggled. “I don’t think I’d survive it.”
Summer pushed the mug away and cupped my face with her delicate hands. That gesture alone had my throat closing and my heart racing. Summer trulysawme—and that was fucking terrifying.
“I can’t promise that nothing bad will ever happen, Mav. But I can promise you I won’t run just because things get tough. I’ll stay. Always.”
I let out a shaky breath, as if something heavy and unyielding had finally cracked open inside of me. “Summer, I didn’t want to. Hell, I tried not to. But…fuck…I love you. So much it feels like saying those three words isn’t nearly enough.”
Her lips trembled and then turned into a smile as a tear slipped down her cheek. “I love you, Maverick. You’re my future, too.”
I pulled her tighter against me, holding her like she was both fragile and the only thing keeping me tethered to this plane.
“I’m so sorry things got so twisted and I called you a coward,” Summer said, pressing our foreheads together.
“You were right.”
“I was out of line.”
We sat like that until I felt a cold nose nudge my arm, reminding me it was well past Malibu’s dinnertime.
“I was so twisted up, thinking you honestly believed I’d leave or date someone behind your back. Instead of telling you my worries, I lashed out,” she said, as I felt her sweet, warm breath against my face.
I closed my eyes as we shared the same air, taking time to process her words. “We both did.”
“Yes, but we’ve come out the other side stronger, haven’t we?”
“We have,” I said, as she rose from my lap and reached out to clasp my hand as I did the same.
She melted into my embrace, laying her head on my chest as I closed my eyes, resting my chin on the top of her head. I caressed her back, tracing the contours of her spine before she lifted her head and stepped away with a watery smile.
“I was so scared,” she whispered, refilling our mugs from the small saucepan on the stove and then sitting back down, resting her elbows on the table.
She moved the hot chocolate toward her and smiled, bringing it to her lips and taking a sip. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t focused on her mouth, but her words had me stalling, not wanting to break the fragile calm that had enveloped us.
“I hate that I caused you to feel scared.”
