Page 61 of My Heart Before You

“It’s the least I could do after unintentionally causing the harm in the first place.”

“You didn’t cause this.” He glanced at his ice-covered ankle. “My ego caused this, as much as I hate to admit it.”

She raised her eyebrows. “That’s quite an admission.”

“I can admit when I’m wrong,” he joked with her before his smile fell to something more serious. “And you were right to show off today. It was amazing to see you in your element.” He took a deep breath. “I don’t think you have any idea how incredible you are.”

The look in his eyes almost burned a hole through her. A quick shallow gasp filled her lungs as the pulse of her rapidly beating heart throbbed in her neck. She didn’t have the language to answer that, to give an appropriate response, so she steered the conversation back into a lighter territory.

“Admitting fault is a good quality in a man.” She wavered at the beginning but tried to keep a teasing tone in her voice.

Colin blinked and lowered his head a fraction. For a breath, she worried she’d upset him, but when he raised his face, a playful grin was set on his lips.

“You know what else are good qualities? Resourcefulness and attention to detail.”

His grin widened as her brows furrowed.

Ticking off his fingers, he said, “Resourcefulness: I have coffee, a coffee maker, and mugs in the kitchen. Attention to detail: You take your coffee black so there is no need for a coffee shop, just a coffee maker.” Then he lowered the footrest and asked with a sexy confidence that of course she would say yes to, “Emilie, would you please stay and let me make us some coffee, so we can continue our date?”

???

Two hours or so later, Colin limped ever so slightly to his doorway to give her a breathtaking kiss before she left. As she rode the elevator down to the lobby, she thought about the afternoon. Something nagged at the side of her heart, and she mulled it over on the short walk home.

Putting away her things and kicking out of her boots, she flopped down on her window seat, pulling Analie’s contact up on her phone’s screen.

Her sister picked up after two rings. “Hey Em, hold on.”

She could hear Penny and Liam squabbling in the background.

“No! Stop it. We’ve been through this, the two of you have to share. Scott! Help me, Emilie’s on the phone.” Her brother-in-law addressed the kids in the background as her sister shut a door and let out a huff of air. “Hey, sorry about that. Penny’s cranky because she’s refusing to nap, so we’re all living in her terror reign for the time being.”

She chuckled at her sister’s description. “I’m sorry, An.”

“It’s okay, we’ll make it through.” Analie sighed. “What’s up?”

“I wanted to talk to you about something . . .” she paused, taking a deep breath as her stomach knotted.

Her sister waited patiently on the other end of the line.

“I’ve started dating someone.” As she let the words fall from her mouth, it felt like artillery shells falling to the ground, only there was no explosion when her sister registered them.

“That’s wonderful!” Her sister nearly shouted in excitement.

“Really?” Emilie’s face released its tightness.

“Yes. Why would that be a bad thing?” her sister asked and then answered, “I mean, I understand that you wanted to wait until you were ready, but I don’t think it’s bad that you’re dating. I think it’s great.”

“Really?” She was beginning to sound like a broken record.

“Yes!”

“Okay.” This was going better than expected.

“Who is he?”

Pushing into the plush throw pillows and gazing at her poor winter-stripped elm tree, she answered, “Someone I met at work.”

“Is he hot?” In college, her sister always preferred nerdy boys for herself, choosing brain over brawn. Lucky for Analie, her software developer husband, Scott, exemplified both characteristics.

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