Page 62 of Heart of The Night

He placed the croissants on the island table, their golden crusts steaming.

‘These look amazing,’ I said, leaning closer.

William glanced at me, his expression soft. ‘Wait till you try them,’ he replied with a wink. Next, he brought over my favourite: his delicious scrambled eggs, the familiar scent mingling with the aroma of the fresh pastries.

‘Oh my God,’ I groaned, my mouth watering.

‘Just the way you like them,’ he said, chuckling. Then, with a warm smile, he handed me the cup of coffee he had just brewed. Our hands brushed momentarily, sending a small thrill through me.

‘Thank you,’ I murmured, my voice filled with gratitude.

‘No thanks needed,’ he replied with a grin. ‘Your joy is my reward.’

I smiled back, raising the coffee to my lips. His efforts this morning were heartwarming, but the disparity between his current attentiveness and his recent distant behaviour still gnawed at me, making it difficult to fully appreciate it.

He took a seat beside me, gesturing to the breakfast spread. ‘Dig in.’

I helped myself to some scrambled eggs and a croissant. William followed suit, loading his plate before taking a bite of his croissant. He chewed thoughtfully for a moment, then groaned with pleasure.

‘I think I’ve outdone myself this time,’ he joked.

I managed a weak smile and nodded, but my thoughts were elsewhere, replaying the inconsistencies in his recent behaviour. The heaviness in my chest must have shown on my face, as his playful expression suddenly faded. He looked at me more intently, his eyes narrowing with concern.

‘Is something the matter?’ he asked gently.

I swallowed a lump in my throat, my heart racing at the question. For a second, I considered brushing it off, but the worry in his eyes urged me to open up, and, frankly, I was eager to get some clarity. Better to face the truth now than to endure the greater pain later if his feelings didn’t match mine.

‘There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about,’ I said, keeping my voice soft so as not to alarm him more than necessary.

He quickly took my hand, his grip firm as he stared at me with palpable apprehension in his eyes. ‘What’s been on your mind?’ he asked, and I could tell he was struggling to sound composed.

I hesitated, searching for the right words. ‘It’s just… you’ve been so attentive both last night and this morning, and it’s wonderful. But lately, you’ve been so distant, and I don’t know what to make of it.’

He squeezed my hand, his face twisting with guilt. ‘Cara, I am so sorry. I’ve just had a lot on my mind.’

‘Are you sure that’s why?’ I asked, forcing my voice to remain steady. What I was about to say next made my heart contract. I was so scared of what he might answer, but I needed to know. ‘Because if you’re losing interest in me, you can just tell me. I’d rather face the truth now so I can cut my losses.’

His eyes widened, his lips parting slightly. He looked horrified. ‘Is that the impression I’ve given you? That I’m losing interest?’ he asked, sounding appalled. ‘Cara, I can’t tell you how sorry I am for making you feel that way. It’s so far from the truth. I adore everything about you. Being with you is like living in a dream I never want to wake up from.’

‘Really?’ I asked, my voice high-pitched with emotion. A small, hopeful smile flickered across my lips, my eyebrows curving as I held his gaze.

‘Yes,’ he said ardently and raised my hand to kiss it repeatedly. ‘Please, forgive me. I swear I’ll do better from now on – I’ll show you exactly how much you mean to me.’

His seemed so sincere. I badly wanted to believe him.

‘Let me make it up to you,’ he said, his eyes shining with fervour. ‘Tonight. I’ll cook something delicious for us, and we’ll spend the evening together. No work, no distractions – just us.’

My heart throbbed at how beautifully he was handling this.

‘That sounds lovely,’ I said, a genuine smile spreading across my face. ‘What will you cook?’

He grinned, his thumb brushing my cheek. ‘It’ll be a surprise.’

‘Well, I’m looking forward to it.’

‘Me too.’ He leaned in and kissed my forehead. ‘Thank you for telling me about this. I’m sorry I made it necessary in the first place.’

‘It’s okay. Thank you for handling it so well,’ I replied, finally feeling reassured.

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