Page 75 of All the Promises We Break

I wish I had the strength left to move my hand. “You didn’t leave. That’s enough.”

“I’m thinking of so many things. I’m all over the place.”

“I know the feeling. I would understand though if you need to bail. He’s your brother and you love him.”

“I love you too. It’s not that easy.”

I can feel her body freeze behind me. What did she say? It seems we both have secrets. “Hayles…”

I rotate my body slowly in her hold. My fingers lift her chin to look at me. She’s one of the most fearless people I know. She says what she means and it’s usually something sweet and good.No woman has ever made me feel that no matter what I did, as long as it was honest, it was always enough.

“Say it again,” I ask her.

Her soft, confident eyes dial in to mine as she places her hand back over my heart. “I have to love you. I’ve never felt about anyone else the way I feel about you. I realized it when I was talking to my parents. You make me sadder than anyone. You make me madder than anyone. You also make me laugh harder than I thought I could laugh. I feel better, even at my worst, when I’m with you. Isn’t that love?”

“I guess we’ll find out together.” I reach across and slide my hand over her shoulder, raising it to her neck. Giving her skin a gentle tug, she leans toward me for the softest of kisses. The tenderness of her lips gives me a sense of peace I can’t remember ever feeling.

I loved the thrill of the hunt, all the possibilities of zero attachment. The moment I looked at her and didn’t feel any of that was the moment I knew. I loved her too. I love Hayley Sawyer.

Our kiss of affirmation quickly escalates into one of wanting to feel anything other than the pain we’ve managed today. I ignore the sting in my lips as my need to be with her far outweighs anything else. We pull each other to our knees, and I scoop her into my arms.

I rock her gently as we make our way into the bedroom. As her head hits my pillow and her hair fans out across it, I have another stark realization.

I whisper, “Before I make love to you, I need you to know one more thing.”

Her hand sweeps slowly down my face. “I’m listening.”

“Good,” I lean in, “I’m going to say something I rarely say.”

“What is it?”

“I love you.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Elijah

All I can think about lying in this hospital bed is getting home and talking to both Hayley and Wes. I know I should be sleeping. I know it would be the best thing for me. I need to get a few things right in my mind first before I can do what I’m told.

Dylan gives up waiting and is violating the rules once again by sleeping in the bed with me. Her head is on my chest with her hand curled into a childlike fist right at her chin. How can I be in so much turmoil inside and she looks like the most peaceful creature I’ve ever seen?

The better part of me slaps my face and says because she’s not an idiot, that’s why. I pride myself on being able to see all sides to any situation. Who does that sound like? My father and my grandfather told me that’s one of the many reasons why they know I will continue to make our company soar.

Why did I see, and only see, red so quickly in this instance today? Is it because of Hayley? Is it because of Wes? Are there lingering effects of the injuries that I need to address? While Ineed to know, it’s not greater than my need to make it right. Once I’m out of here, I will make it right.

Sleep finally wins around two in the morning. I woke up at seven with the neuro exams and finally sprung around noon. The ride home is made even longer with the tag team phone call from my parents. I know this is who they are and will always be, but I simply need to fix what I’ve broken. They agree.

I shouldn’t feel like the stumbling toddler, but I do. If I’d just taken a minute to really think, none of this would have happened. I wouldn’t have set myself back. I wouldn’t have three relationships to repair. I want to sort it all out now, but I know I can’t.

Dylan and I slowly make it back to the apartment. Where I couldn’t sleep last night, it’s all I want to do now. I sit in a fog at the foot of our bed. I can feel Dylan watching me as she’s closing all the curtains. I start to slide out of my jacket when her frame settles in front of me.

She bends forward and takes my head gently in her hands, leaving a subtle imprint of her lips right above my newly forming scar. “Things will get better, Eli. I promise.”

My hands lock over her hips and pull her in. Her soft scent fills the space around me. “I trust you. I do.” I say these words in affirmation for her, not only for what she just said, but for what I should have said before.

“Please rest. I’m going to get us breakfast for dinner since we missed our Sunday special. I’ll update my parents, Lauren, and Stacey that we’re home. Don’t move from this bed until I get back.”

I press my lips to her midsection before I make the slow crawl to my pillow. Dylan carefully pulls the duvet over me and the weight of it settles my body as well as my mind. I hear a few doors and drawers open and close before everything fades to silence and black.

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