Page 147 of Forgiving Fate

I let him lead me down the dark and quiet roads of Cliff Haven and bask in the moment. I am here, alone, letting a man lead me to an unknown location, and I don’t have a single ounce of fear in my body. All I care about is getting to wherever Landon is leading me and letting him know he has someone to lean on.

We walk for a few minutes until the playground comes into view. The street lights illuminate the area and Landon guides us to sit down on one of the benches at the far end of the playground that overlooks the river.

He lets my hand go and I sit on the bench, turn sideways and pull my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around them and resting my chin atop.

Landon sits close, his leg touching my foot, and his arm stretches out to rest on the back of the bench. I watch as hestares out at the river flowing steadily by us. The sound of the river mixes with the light breeze rustling the leaves on the trees surrounding the park, creating the most peaceful and serene moment.

I don’t rush him. I don’t beg him to talk. I allow him to sit and take all the time he needs to find the words to express what is bothering him.

Only when I notice his hands start to have the slightest shake, do I reach out and run my finger up and down his arm. I watch as his body tenses, then relaxes after a few passes of my finger.

Slowly, his head turns and his gaze locks with mine. My hand moves to his face and I cup the side of his cheek, my thumb running through his trimmed beard. His eyes flutter closed and his head leans into my hand; his body sagging against the back of the bench.

I stare at this beautiful man in front of me. I can’t help but think how lucky I am that he was the one sent to rescue me from New York. Maybe fate was on my side this entire time and I just didn’t realize it until some of the darkness faded away and saw that my light was here this entire time. Even if he had a dark cloud raging above him.

“Storm,” I say quietly, to not scare him. I desperately want to show him I can be his shoulder to lean on, just like he is for me. As much as I don’t want to push him, I don’t want him to feel like he is fighting this battle alone.

His eyes flutter open, and a smile spreads across his eyes as they focus on me.

“Hi,” I say.

“Hi beautiful.”

Butterflies fill my stomach and the words I was going to say completely disappear.

Damn this man and his ability to speak to me without saying a single word. Then when he does say something, he leaves me speechless with a simple phrase.

Taking a deep breath, I swallow the nerves and say, “I never want to push you to talk, but I just want you to know I am always here. Whatever is going on inside your mind, you don’t have to fight it alone. You were there for me when I didn’t even know I needed you, and I want you to do the same.”

“I know Bluebird,” he says, sounding exhausted and almost defeated.

He starts to talk, but I stop him. “Before you say it’s nothing or you don’t want to bother me. Please talk to me, Landon. I can tell something is eating at you and I hate it. Let me be here for you. Please.”

He sighs and shakes his head. “I want to tell you everything that is screaming inside my head right now, but I—”

“Storm…”

I search his eyes, trying to find a hint of what is tearing him apart so badly, but I can’t.

“I don’t want to cry, Bluebird.” His voice cracks and my heart breaks.

Moving my hand from his face, I reach for his hand and intertwine our pinkies. With the simple raise of my eyebrows, he continues.

“I don’t want to cry. All I have done for the last few months is fight. I’ve fought every day to be the man that you deserve. But at night when the world quiets and the sky darkens, all I want to do is let it all out. But I’m afraid to. Because I know the moment I do, I won’t stop. And I can’t do that because I want to be strong for you, Bluebird. But—”

“Stop,” I say softly.

He tries to continue, but I lean forward and place a kiss on his forehead. When I lean back, I know he wants to say something, but he doesn’t.

Taking a deep breath, I wait for him to lock his eyes with mine, and say, “Showing emotion doesn’t make your strength diminish. It actually shows a different version of it. It shows while you are strong beyond belief, you are also fearless. It shows that you are not afraid to be vulnerable.

“Vulnerability is hard. But just like you are my rock, let me be yours. Let me be the shoulder you cry on, my brave Storm. Let it all out. Because I promise you, I will not see weakness. I will see a strong, beautiful, vulnerable man. One that is the perfect missing link to my seemingly broken soul.”

And as the last words leave my lips, his head drops to mine and I feel the first tear hit my cheek.

Chapter Fifty-Three

Landon

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