Page 60 of Shelter for Morgan

His voice always sounded so sweet and strong at the same time.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

She shook off the bad memories and tried to meet his eyes. She almost did it. “I was bigger back then. I had some medical issues and my weight ballooned. Some of the girls picked on me, taking turns poking fun, and they always sing-songed my name, adding an extra N near the end. ‘Morgan-nah.’

“It gave me the hives. And an almost murderous rage.”

“I bet it did,” he cradled her hand with one of his and rubbed it with the other. “How did Jacob handle it?”

She smiled at that.

“Jacob was Jacob. He made me work and exercise. Walking and swimming, almost driving me nuts. Then we found a doctor who understood what I was going through and helped me.”

She drew in a deep breath and smiled at him, almost feeling it.

“It was a long road to getting my weight to what my doctors considered healthy. And the whole time I had Jacob’s support. I think he felt bad for trying to exercise me to the point of exhaustion.”

“I know he did.” Palmer’s voice was soothing. Added to the gentle movements of his hands, she felt his support. “Are you still healthy? Is there something I can help with?”

She wanted to cry.

Not that her tears would be sad.

The easy way that Palmer just listened and accepted her words made her feel heard.

“I’m sorry that I didn’t see you back then.”

He’d seen her with his eyes, but he hadn’t seen beyond the way she hid behind her books and homebody mindset.

“I don’t think I saw myself back then. Jacob didn’t know what to do with me, and I didn’t understand what and who I was. Now, I know.”

His smile was just gorgeous. “I believe it. You have this way about you that’s totally… you.”

She leaned in and put her free hand on top of his. “I worked long and hard to bring out the best parts of myself. I’m glad you can see me now.”

“I still feel bad that I didn’t see beyond the surface then.”

He looked so contrite that she gave his hands a squeeze.

“Well, I’m kind of glad you didn’t.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “How so?”

She grinned at him, feeling a little flirty. “Well, if you had, Jacob would have thrown you in jail.”

Palmer nodded. "I don't doubt that."

They smiled at each other and then they broke out in quiet laughter.

RHETT

It had been an incredible evening.

He'd ordered in dinner from an Italian Restaurant down the street and while he knew that it was a great little place, he was nervous about what Morgan would think.

Given how they'd both cleared their plates and how she'd oohed and aahed over the tiramisu, she liked it. A lot.

Then, he'd cued up a movie on Amazon Prime that they'd decided on, and Morgan curled up against his side. He had to admit that he'd never thought that she'd like action films, but he'd misunderstood her love of things from other eras.

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