Page 82 of Worth the Fall

I glance at the picture again, then at the two of them—Miguel, steady and loving, and Felicity, all wild curls and endless joy. My heart swells so much it feels like it might burst.

"Absolutely," I say, grabbing my bag and lacing my fingers through Miguel’s. "Let’s go get ice cream. Dessert first is always better in my opinion.”

CHAPTER 18

Miguel

The fire crackles softly as I hold Mia’s hand, my thumb brushing against her knuckles. Her head is still on my shoulder, and I can feel her relaxed, steady breaths. But when I mention building a life together, she shifts slightly, sitting up and tucking her legs beneath her. There’s something in her eyes now—an earnestness, a slight tension that wasn’t there a moment ago.

"Miguel," she starts, her voice thoughtful, "you know how much I love you, right?"

"Of course," I say, squeezing her hand gently. "And I hope you know how much I love you too."

She nods but hesitates, her teeth catching her bottom lip. It’s a look I’ve seen before, usually when she’s turning over something heavy in her mind.

"I want to talk about what you said—about building a life together," she continues, her words careful. "I want that too. I really do. But there’s something I need to say, and I need you to really hear me."

I shift to face her fully, giving her my undivided attention. "I’m listening."

She takes a deep breath. "You know how much my work means to me. I’ve worked so hard to build my career, to get to where I am. And it’s not just about the job—it’s about the purpose behind it. Helping people, making a difference. It’s a big part of who I am."

I nod, understanding where she’s coming from. Mia’s dedication to her work is one of the things I admire most about her.

"I’m scared," she admits, her voice barely above a whisper. "Scared that if we take this step, if we start blending our lives even more… I’ll have to make compromises that I’m not ready for. Or that I’ll feel like I have to choose between the people I love and the work I love."

Her words hang in the air between us, and I can feel the weight of her vulnerability. I reach out, cupping her cheek and guiding her gaze back to mine.

"Mia," I say softly, "I would never ask you to choose. Your work is a part of who you are, and I fell in love with all of you—your heart, your passion, your drive. I’m not looking for you to change anything for me."

Her eyes search mine, looking for reassurance.

"I don’t want to stand in your way," I continue. "I want to stand beside you, cheering you on. Whatever your dreams are, wherever your journey takes you, I’ll be there. And if there are challenges, we’ll face them together. You don’t have to carry it all alone anymore."

Tears glisten in her eyes, and she lets out a soft, shaky laugh. "You make it sound so easy."

"It’s not going to be easy," I admit. "But the best things never are. I’m not promising perfection, Mia. I’m promising effort. I’m promising to show up, every single day, for you and for us."

She leans into my hand, closing her eyes for a moment before looking back at me. "What about you?" she asks. "You havedreams too, Miguel. You’ve built so much for Felicity. What if my career gets in the way of that?"

I shake my head, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Mia, my dreams have already come true in a lot of ways. My biggest dream was to give Felicity a happy, stable life. And now, with you, that dream has grown. My dream is a life where we’re all together—where Felicity has you as a role model, where we support each other through everything."

She lets out a breath she’s been holding, and the tension in her shoulders seems to melt away. "You really mean that, don’t you?"

"Every word," I say, my voice firm. "Mia, you don’t have to be afraid of losing yourself in this. I don’t want you to. I love who you are, just as you are. All I want is to build a life where we both feel free to chase our dreams, together."

For a long moment, she doesn’t say anything. Then she shifts closer, wrapping her arms around me and burying her face in my chest.

"I don’t know how I got so lucky," she murmurs, her voice muffled but full of emotion.

I hold her tightly, resting my chin on the top of her head. "Funny," I say, "I was just thinking the same thing."

The fire crackles again, and the room falls into a comfortable silence. I can feel the beat of her heart against mine, steady and strong.

"Miguel?" she says after a while, her voice soft.

"Yeah?"

"I think… I think I’m starting to believe this could work. Us, all of it."

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