And when he dropped her off, he was distant. Aloof.
I wish I didn’t care. But I do.
And it hurts more than I’d like to admit.
I miss him.
God, I miss him.
***
I’m stirring leftover tomato soup from the other night when the doorbell rings.
“Cal,” I breathe, opening the door to find him standing there, a soft smile tugging at his lips.
I don’t waste a second. “Meghan came by while I went out to grab breakfast. She took Hannah. I shouldn’t have left, but even if I’d been here… there wasn’t much I could do. She’s her mother. I could’ve tried to talk her out of it, but after the scene at the group home, I doubt she would’ve listened to anything I had to say. I’m so sorry, Cal. Maybe if I had—”
“Elle, Elle,” he says, cutting me off gently. “Relax, honey. If this is what it takes to get Meghan to spend time with Hannah, I’ll take it.”
“You’re not mad?” My throat tightens, tears threatening.
“No, I’m not mad,” he says, and his smile deepens.
Without thinking, I throw my arms around him. I don’t care if we’re supposed to be angry or distant. He’s here. He’s smiling that smile I’ve missed every single day. That’s all that matters.
He pulls back just enough to look at me, and when his eyes drop to my lips, I don’t wait. I kiss him—desperate, needy, starved for the feel of him. He pushes the door shut behind us without breaking the kiss, then wraps his arms around me like he’s never letting go.
I missed him. I missed this. And I’m done letting resentment come between me and the man I love.
Because I do love him.
He draws back just enough to whisper, “Elle… I missed you.”
“I missed you too,” I murmur, pulling him into another kiss. This time, the urgency softens into something slower, deeper. His scruff brushes against my skin, his lips coaxing mine in a way that makes the world fall away. His arms, his scent, the strength in his hold—it’s everything I’ve needed. Everything I’ve ached for.
Even if it’s only for now, I’ll take it.
Because what I feel for him has grown into something stronger than all the pain I thought would keep us apart forever.
I pull back and search his face. He’s smiling—really smiling—and I can see it in his eyes. He’s happy to be herewith me. I see it in the way his blue gaze softens when it meets mine. I know he feels it too.
For a moment, I think he’s going to kiss me again. But instead, he speaks.
“I love you, Elle. Even if you don’t feel the same way, I need you to know. I love you.”
His words leave me speechless, even as my heart races.
He searches my eyes. “You don't have to say it, but is what you feel for me strong enough to heal the hurt I caused you?”
I don’t answer right away. I want to say yes. I hope it will be. But hope isn't a promise.
He takes a breath, then adds quietly, “If you break my heart, I’ll survive. But it’s not just me. It’s Hannah, too. She loves you. And for her sake, I need to know. Can this, what we have, really be enough?”
"I need time, Cal."
He nods and lets go of my hands. “That’s what Meghan used to say. ‘Dani needs time, Cal.’”
“That’s not fair,” I say, my voice catching.
