“I’m not upset,” I said quickly. “It just… caught me off guard. That’s all.”
She waited, giving me space to figure out the rest.
I twisted the delicate chain of my collar between my fingers. “It wasn’t rejection. I know that. I’ve seen the way he loves me. Felt it. He shows it in everything he does.”
“So what’s bothering you?” she asked gently.
I exhaled. “I think he wasn’t ready to say it out loud. That’s the truth of it. When he names something… it’s final. And I think he takes that seriously. Too seriously, maybe.”
Candace gave a small nod. “Some people need time.”
“Yeah,” I murmured. “And honestly… I don’t need to hear it yet. Not if he isn’t ready.”
“Really?” Candace asked.
“Really,” I said. “I knew what I was saying. I didn’t say it to get it back. I said it because it was true. And because I wasn’t going to let fear keep me from saying it.”
My voice strengthened. “He cares for me. There isn’t a doubt in my mind about that. And when he’s ready to say it, I’ll know. He’s not the kind of man who says anything halfway.”
Candace let out a small, relieved sound. “That does sound a lot like him.”
A tentative knock on the doorframe made both of us look up. One of the movers—a guy in his mid-thirties with a baseball cap pulled low—leaned in, clipboard in hand.
“Sorry to interrupt,” he said. “We’re about done with the bedroom setup. Just wanted to check where you want the last dresser.”
Candace blinked. “Me? Oh—uh, just put it on the wall opposite the bed.”
He nodded, then hesitated. He looked my way. Recognition sparked.
“Hey—sorry, are you… Emma Sinclair? From Elion?”
Tension coiled through me. “Yeah.”
He let out a low whistle. “Thought I recognized you. Saw the news coverage about that data breach—your face was all over it.” He shook his head. “Rough situation. Hope you guys get it sorted.”
“We will,” I said, keeping my tone steady. “Thanks.”
“Didn’t mean to make it weird,” he added, stepping back. “Just one of those things—you see someone on TV, then they’re standing in front of you.”
“It’s fine,” I said, offering a small smile. “Comes with the territory.”
He grinned and disappeared down the hall again.
Candace watched the doorway long after he left. “That’s… a lot,” she murmured. “People knowing you. Expecting you to have answers.”
“It is,” I admitted, shoulders shoved down by the insurmountable pressure.
A few minutes later, another mover called her name from the hallway, asking about hanging the closet rods. Candace stood, brushing her hair behind her ears.
“You good?” she asked.
“Yeah,” I said. “I’ll head upstairs and let you finish.”
“Tell him thank you,” she murmured, pulling me into a hug. “For all of this.”
“Of course,” I said.
She gave a small, watery smile. I squeezed her hand once, then stepped into the hallway. The building was quieter than usual. Late afternoon settling in. A stretch of calm that felt strange after the last week’s chaos. Candace was safe. Garrett had been blocked. The doorman paid handsomely to deny any unwanted entries.
