Page 45 of Key West Promises

Kaitlyn shrugged. “For a while. I imagine it became too much for him. I have no idea about his new wife, but she must have put pressure on him for years to leave us.”

“Not to mention how hard it was for your mother. I mean it had to be difficult to try to save her marriage, knowing what he’d done.”

Kaitlyn hadn’t thought of how her mother must have felt, but now, hearing Will say it, she suddenly felt sick to her stomach at the way she’d treated her mother.

“She must have finally given up when he left,” she responded, her voice barely a whisper.

Will shifted slightly. “Have you talked to him?”

“No. Not yet. I don’t know what I’d even say.” She rubbed her arms like she was cold, even though the late afternoon was warm. “And it’s not just that. The fundraiser is days away, and everything has to go perfectly. We need it to be a success, not just for the money but because Paradise Harbor House deserves it. I need to do something that matters.”

Will nodded slowly. “You already are.”

Kaitlyn let out a short laugh. “I don’t know about that.”

“I do.” He turned slightly, facing her. “Look at what you’ve done since you got here. You found a way to take everything you’re feeling—about your family, about where you come from—and turn it into something good. That says a lot about who you are.”

She swallowed. “And what if it all falls apart? What if the fundraiser doesn’t go the way we need it to? What if Sarah doesn’t want anything to do with me? What if my dad…” She hesitated, her voice quieter now. “What if he never really wanted me in the first place?”

Will chuckled and then reached for her hand, threading his fingers through hers. “My love, you have a lot of ‘what ifs’ to keep you up at night. Why not let it all go and stop worrying? You’re putting too much on yourself. Besides, you are not alone. I’m here.”

Kaitlyn looked up at him.

“I mean it,” he said, his voice steady. “I’ll be there for you. However you need me to be. If you need someone to listen, I’ll listen. If you need to vent, I’ll let you yell at me. If you need to walk away for a while, I’ll be the guy standing at a safe distance, waiting for you to be ready.” His fingers squeezed hers gently. “But you won’t go through this alone.”

Something in her chest loosened at his words, at the certainty in his voice.

“Will…” She hesitated, shaking her head slightly. “I don’t know what to say to that.”

“You don’t have to say anything.” He exhaled, glancing down at their joined hands. “But there is something I need to say.”

She felt his fingers tighten around her’s before he looked back up at her, his expression unreadable, like he was sorting through his own emotions.

“I might as well come clean here. I’m getting in deep with you, Kaitlyn.”

Her breath caught.

“I know neither of us is ready to slap a label on this,” he continued, his voice quiet but firm. “But this thing between us? It’s not casual for me.”

She swallowed hard, her pulse racing.

“I need you to know that,” he added. “Whatever’s happening here, I’m in it for the long haul. I don’t take it lightly.”

Kaitlyn searched his face, trying to find the right words, but nothing felt big enough to match what he was giving her in that moment.

Finally, she just nodded. “It’s not casual for me either.”

A small, almost relieved smile flickered across Will’s face before he reached up, his fingers brushing lightly against her cheek.

Kaitlyn stilled as his hand settled against her face, his thumb grazing her cheekbone, his touch warm and steady. She didn’t pull away.

His gaze locked onto hers, searching, waiting—giving her the space to decide.

Kaitlyn’s breath caught, and then she leaned in, closing the distance between them.

His lips met hers, softly at first, testing, but when she didn’t hesitate, the kiss deepened—slow and sure.

When they finally pulled back, Kaitlyn exhaled shakily, her forehead resting lightly against his.

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