He says it like it’s the most certain thing in the world.
Like there’s no hesitation. No doubt. I turn to him, my chest tightening, my breath shallow.
“Garrison…”
He exhales slowly, like he’s been holding that in for a long time.
“I’ve loved you since the first moment we touched,” he says.
My stomach flips. My heart stumbles.
“Since the garage?” I whisper.
He nods once.
“Yeah.”
That one moment. That one kiss. And everything changed. For both of us. I swallow hard, emotion rising fast and overwhelming.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” I ask softly.
A quiet, humorless huff escapes him. “Because your dad made it pretty clear how that would go. Plus you’re young. I can’t stop you from living your life. And my job as a SEAL—it’s not really conducive to a girlfriend.”
The truth of that lands heavy. But it doesn’t change anything. Not for me.
“Nothing he said changes how I feel,” I tell him, my voice stronger now. “It doesn’t change this.”
I gesture between us. Because it’s real. Because it’s undeniable. Because I refuse to pretend it’s not. His jaw tightens slightly, his eyes still fixed on the road.
“It changes things,” he says quietly.
“Only if we let it.”
That gets his attention. He glances at me then. And the look in his eyes—conflict. Want. Fear. Love. All of it tangled together in a way that makes my chest ache.
“You think it’s that simple?” he asks.
“No,” I admit. “I don’t.”
Because it’s not. Nothing about this is.
“But I don’t care,” I add softly. “I’m not walking away from this. Not because someone told me to.”
His breath catches slightly. And for a second— Just a second?—
I think he might agree. Might give in. Might say we’ll figure it out right now. But he doesn’t. He looks back at the road, his grip tightening on the wheel again.
“We’re not walking away,” he says.
My heart lifts just a little bit.
“Let’s find your dad. We can go from there. Plan?”
“Plan.” I say. Somehow I feel like things can only get better from here.
CHAPTER
SEVEN
