Page 103 of I'll Carry You

He couldn’t let her down again. Couldn’t let her think he’d failed one more time.

Jen can’t save you.Mildred’s voice rang through his mind.You’re the last man standing. And you don’t think you deserve to be.

What did he deserve? He’d spent so long thinking he deserved nothing, deserved to be dead instead of his father—the words that his grandfather had put in his head that awful summer day at Dad’s funeral.

But his dad had died for him. He’d given up everything so that Jason could be here right now.

And what had he done with that gift?

He’d spent the last twenty years letting himself become hard, selfish, and focused on making himself feel happy, even at the expense of others. He’d been bitter, angry that he hadn’t saved Kevin. Angry that his son-of-a-bitch grandfather would take Cavanaugh Metals from him because he blamed Jason for Dad’s death. Angry that Mom hadn’t had the strength to be there for them.

Angry at being alone.

But he wasn’t the last man standing. There was Colby. And his future child. Cavanaugh Metals had failed anyway, outside of his control. His grandfather had done that—not him.

He was done squandering his father’s gift. Even if it took the rest of his life, Jason was going to spend it like he was worthy of the sacrifice Dad had made. Mildred had taught him he could be someone different than he’d believed. That all wasn’t lost with the people who deserved his love.

And maybe if he could be worthy of Jen, be the man she deserved, he could start toward a different future—one he longed for more than anything he’d ever known.

He ran out into the water to audible gasps behind him. People had been watching him, and now if they’d wondered if he had lost it, he’d just confirmed it.

I probably have lost it. I’m just not going to lose her if I can help it.

The water was so cold, he clenched his jaw. His entire body broke into a single sheet of gooseflesh. The pins and needles on his skin felt like knives poking in from all sides.

He was about to dive under when he felt arms wrap around his waist.

“Jason, stop!”

He swung around. Jen was in the water, holding him back. He trembled, then pulled her up and out. He wrapped her legs around him and buried his face in her shoulder. Cheers of applause broke out on the shore. The tears in his eyes were from an equal mixture of freezing pain from the icy waters and his relief at seeing her. His teeth chattered as he asked, “What are you doing here?”

“I didn’t get on the boat.” She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. “Not once Millie told me about why you hate water. I’d never have asked if I had known. I think I love you, Jason Cavanaugh. I would never do that to you.”

Jason pulled his face back, scanning her eyes.

He could barely think with the cold.

She said she loves you.

He dropped a kiss on her mouth. As she kissed him back, Jason’s legs started to go numb, his body shaking in response to the cold. She laughed, then pulled away. “Should we go to the shore?”

He nodded, and the ice that had been strangling his heart for so many years melted away at last. “I’ll carry you.”

ChapterThirty-Four

The second Jen’sfeet hit dry land, the surrounding crowd broke out in more raucous applause, the people of Brandywood hooting and hollering. Dan approached with blankets for them, and Jen looked away from Jason’s shoulder toward the bank of the lake. One member of the camera crew was still on shore, his camera trained on them. Her eyes flitted to the big screens. She and Jason were in focus on them.

They’d captured that on camera?

She glanced at the microphone still strapped to her sweater. It was live!

Oh my God.When she had talked to Peter and explained why she wouldn’t get on the boat at the last minute, she’d never expected this. She hadn’t even known if Jason would show up. Then she’d seen him wading into that lake . . . she gave him a sidelong glance. What type of crazy person jumped into a mountain lake at the end of December?

She shook with cold, her jeans freezing her. Thank goodness she’d followed Jason’s lead and taken her shoes off.

Dan wrapped the blankets around them both, and the view from Peter’s boat split the screen. Peter’s face came into view. “Well, folks!” Peter said a big grin on his face. His voice boomed from the speakers set up near the screens. “I don’t think I could have made this more exciting if I tried. Nothing like a little trouble in paradise to bring that drama, huh, folks? As for the winners of the Brandywood Baking Competition sponsored byThis Charmed Lifeand Happy Home Channel,I think these two lovebirds have already won, don’t you agree? But sadly, Miss Jen Klein came to me earlier this afternoon and requested to withdraw from the competition.”

A collective murmur of shock and disapproval broke out from the crowd. Someone near them booed loudly, and a quick glance revealed Millie Price standing with her group of girlfriends, hands cupped around her mouth. Jen’s face warmed.

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