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“Soren was in an accident. He was moving cattle last week, and a bull rammed him against the panels. He broke five ribs and collapsed a lung.” Lane stated. My blood ran cold.

I stood abruptly, sending my rolling chair flying back against the wall.

“Where is he?” I practically yelled.

I had to see him. He was hurt. Everything made sense. He had texted me ‘I love you’ messages every single day, but a few days ago he had missed a day. Was that when he had been hurt? Lane and Jonah both stood.

“He’s resting at home. He got out of the hospital the day before yesterday,” Lane explained.

Blood rushed in my ears and I ran. I had to see him. I faintly remembered dropping my folder and running toward the door. I had almost made it to my car when a strong hand grabbed my forearm and spun me around.

“Let me drive,” Jonah cut out.

He pulled me to his matte black truck, and I hopped in. Jonah drove as if he knew I needed to lay eyes on Soren soon. Everything hit me all at once. I was running to Soren, not from him. I loved him. I had loved him. I was still in the process of working out my own hang-ups, but with the hope of meeting with Susie and the encouragement from Talia, I knew I could do this. I might always need therapy and reassurance, but I was worth loving. Soren had shown me that every time he had adjusted his pace for me, when he had slowly loved me, waiting for me to catch up. He loved me. I knew that more than anything, and now I wanted to tell him that in return, if he’d let me. I didn’t want to face the reality of growing older without him. When Jonah pulled into his drive, the reality of what I had done hit me. I’d run from an interview and left my vehicle, I had no way to leave.

“Oh, shoot. I left my car and ran out of the interview,” I blurted out as it hit me. My hands were twisted together.

Jonah chuckled. I wasn’t aware he was even capable of that. It almost sounded rusty.

“That you did. I’ll have Travis go with me, and he can bring it back.” I grabbed my keys and laid them on his center console.

“Thank you,” I responded.

Jonah’s quiet words stopped me before I shut the door.

“Sawyer, his heart can’t handle you walking away again. Please make sure you know exactly how you feel before you make promises.” His eyes were earnest and my heart crumbled. I had hurt the man I loved. The weight on my chest was unbearable, but I simply nodded and climbed out of the truck.

Chapter

Fifty-Four

Sawyer

I stood in front of the steps that changed my life. It felt full circle that I was here again, and I wondered if I had made a mistake. I glanced at the tire swing where Soren had pushed me under the stars for the first time. I took a breath to calm my heart from racing. I walked up the steps and turned toward the porch swing where Soren had kissed me for the first time. I knocked on the door. I knew Soren was hurt, therefore I was sure he may not be able to open the door. I tried the handle, and it was open.

I called out nervously, “Soren, It’s Sawyer.”

Complete silence met me. I glanced around and the house was untidy, which was surprising, but I knew that had to be a testament of how much pain he must be in. I could fix that. I walked toward the family room, but he wasn’t there. I hesitated to walk toward his bedroom, but that made the most logical sense, especially because of his injuries.

“Hey, Soren. It’s me,” I called out again as I neared his bedroom. The door was partially open, and he was asleep in the bed. His bare chest was above the blanket, his muscular chest and ribs were painted with purple bruises. His face had a cut above his brow. My heart clenched. I loved this man, and he had almost been taken from me permanently, and I hadn’t even told him how much he meant to me. He needed rest in order to heal, so I gently shut the door and set to work cleaning his home. I put away all the misplaced items, started a load of laundry, and scrubbed the kitchen from top to bottom. Travis had quietly brought my keys inside after retrieving my Jeep, to which I whispered, “Thank you.”

He said he was glad to see me, and if Soren asked, he was out checking water for the cattle. It was when I was carrying a rogue sock to the laundry room when I passed by the end table and saw it. A stack of books with colorful tabs sticking out with a highlighter and pen laid on top. It appeared as if he had been studying the books with exceptional detail. The top book snagged my attention as I set down the sock and looked more closely. The title read How to Love Someone Who Has Experienced Childhood Trauma. My heart immediately stopped and my nose burned with emotion. I lifted the next book with trembling hands and it was more of the same. Five books, highlighted throughout, with tabs marking sections on how to be supportive of someone you love. He’d truly loved me.

As I stacked the books back on the end table, I had an unnerving feeling that I was being watched. I turned and Soren stood at the end of the hallway with a mask of confusion on his face. One hand was braced on the wall and the other wrapped around his bare bruised ribs. Gray sweatpants hung from his narrow waist.

“I see you still make a habit of trespassing.” His voice was gravelly from sleep.

“Soren,” I whispered as my eyes took him in. He was still the steady, handsome man I knew him to be.

“Sawyer,” he countered. My heart sank that he didn’t call me Pretty Girl.

My fingers reached for my chain.

“I didn’t know you were hurt,” I explained, trying to keep my voice from breaking.

My brain raced with all the thoughts going through my head. Cataloging his injuries. Should he be standing? There was a crease in his brow that spoke of pain.

“Sawyer, why are you here?”