“I would never do that, Maisie. You have me for life. Whether as a friend or ... whatever else.”
The words are what I need to hear, but I still can’t believe I’m hearing them. I’ve not apologized yet. I’ve not told him what I meant.
And yet he’s here. He’s asked for a chance.
He would forgive me if I asked.
Nate’s love isn’t conditional. It’s just here. Always here.
And I refuse to be blind about it.
“Nate, I wasn’t giving Rob a chance to get back together with me tonight. I was giving him a chance to be civil with me. For Quinn’s party tomorrow.”
He jerks back. “You did?” I nod. “Did he know that?”
“Obviously not at first. I tried to make it clear, but he ... wasn’t thrilled. I don’t think I did myself any good, which is probably why I let him call all the shots like a fucking idiot.” I rub my forehead. “But he did make me realize how it sounded. And I wouldneveruse you like that. You hear me?Never.”
Nate takes a shaky breath. I give him a moment to answer, but he looks lost, like these were the last words he ever expected to hear.
So I continue. “You don’t need to ask me for a chance. You never did. I chose you. And I’d do it again.”
He blinks. “You chose me tonight?” His voice is quiet and raw.
I shake my head. “Not just tonight. I never told you about why I actually dumped Rob last week. Honestly, I was afraid of what it meant until recently.” I hold the towel tighter around my body and suck in air before continuing. “Rob wanted me to move in with him. It was about to be a huge fight.”
“Wait, why? You own the house. It makes more sense for him to move.”
“That’s what I thought. But while he was drunk, I heard his friends saying to make me choose. And he told me that he wanted me to move in with him so he could make sure you never cameover. It was forcing me to choose between you or him. And I dumped him.”
Nate only stares and I look away. I need to fill the silence withsomething.
“I should’ve done it a while ago. The only reason I was fine with how Rob acted was because I had you. And that wasn’t fair to you. I should have seen it for what it was, but I was ... afraid, I guess. I’m trying to be better about that. If anything, I should be beggingyoufor a chance. And I would. Iwantthis. So bad that I?—”
Lips cut me off, and I let out a squeak of surprise as Nate invades my space. He holds me tighter than when I fell in the water, tighter than when we had our fight. A whine escapes me as I run my fingers through his hair.
He’shere. He’skissingme.
I can’t believe it’s real.
“Maisie, I love you,” he says against my lips. I pull away only to stare at him with wide eyes. “I know it’s too early to say it. But I do. I have since the day we met. Since before I fucking knew what lovewas. And I always will.That’swhy I’m here.”
“All this time?”
“All this time,” he replies as he puts his forehead against mine. “And I didn’t care that you didn’t feel the same way. I was serious when I said I’d take anything you would give me.”
“And what if I want to give you everything?”
His breath hitches before he smiles. “Then I might just be the happiest man on the planet.”
“I love you too. Probably for way too long. Probably when I was with someone else. And I’m sor?—”
He kisses me again. “Don’t apologize. Admittedly, I didn’t have the words for it until it was too late. And then we both lost people and ...”
“Then I met Rob.”
“The timing wasn’t right.”
“I still wish we had more of it.”
