Page 23 of Your Soul to Keep

I rubbed small circles into my temples in an effort to stave off the impending headache. Could I write a different kind of story for my life?

You need a man who sees you.

I could be like her, be the heroine in my own life.

Marry a man willing to do the work to know the real you.

I could take what I want, reach for the dream.

You’ve a life to live.

By the time we pulled into my driveway, mine alone now that Nan was gone, I was beside myself, a potent mix of nerves and need all due to the man beside me who had so forcefully reinserted himself in my life.

Reaching over, he tugged the hair tie from my hair and slipped it over his wrist. He’d done exactly that countless of times when we were young. It became so that it was rare he didn’t have one of my ties looped around his wrist. He liked my hair free and stole my ties constantly.

He tunneled his fingers into my hair, massaging the back of my head as he muttered, “If I’d done this hours ago like I wanted to you wouldn’t have a headache now.”

The bittersweet memory swelled like a lump in my throat.

You need a man who sees you.

I swallowed it. “Do you want to come in?”

He dipped his chin in a brief nod. “I have no intention of leaving you alone anytime soon.”

My heart filled with helium and sprouted wings.

Could I do this? On today of all days?

Reaching behind the seat, he grasped a duffel bag.

My eyebrows flew up. “You came prepared.”

“I did,” he agreed, his lips pressed tight. “I don’t want you to be alone tonight. Not after everything you’ve been through.”

“Gabe,” I protested. “We barely know each other anymore.”

He froze in place, then slowly turned to meet my eyes. “Do you really feel like you don’t know me?”

No.

I knew him.

There was nothing I wanted more than to know him better.

For the past six weeks I’d done nothing but think about him.

Instead, I said, “I have no idea what your life looks like or what you’ve been doing for the pasttwenty-twoyears.”

“That’s not what I asked,” he retorted. “Tell me you don’t knowme.”

My gaze dropped. “I can’t,” I acquiesced.

Grabbing my hand, he brought it to his lips and pressed a kiss to its back. “Then let’s go inside and settle in for the night.” Lifting the bag, he continued, “I’ve got snacks.”

A surprised laugh escaped as I met his smiling eyes.

My emotions swung from one extreme to the other, taxing my energy and draining what little sense I had left.

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