Page 101 of All Along

“What’s going on? Why are you here?”

His arm sweeps toward the living room. “Come in.”

What is he up to? I creep inside and scan the space. I gasp and drop my bag before rushing toward the corner of the room.

“What did you do?” I say as I run my hand along the bookshelves.

“I made you a reading nook.”

And some reading nook it is! I’ve always struggled to figure out how to utilize this area. The real estate agent claimed it was a formal dining room but the round shape doesn’t lend itself to a large dining table.

But now the walls are lined with bookshelves from floor to ceiling. There’s also a comfy chair and footstool where I canspend hours reading. The book I’m currently reading sits on a cute little table next to the chair and there’s a blanket folded on the footstool all ready for me to curl up under on a cold Winter’s day.

“How did you manage to…”

My words trail off when I notice a picture frame in the middle of the books. I step closer. It’s a picture of me from high school. I’m sitting in the library with a book open in front of me while smiling at the camera.

Caleb approaches until I can feel his warmth surrounding me. Until I can smell his earthy scent with its undertones of spice.

It’s only been a few days but I’ve missed his smell. I’ve missed his warmth. I’ve missed laying with him in bed at night. I’ve missed him. Period.

He reaches past me to pick up the picture. “It’s a little worn from use.”

“From use?”

He smiles at the picture. “I carried this with me every single day I was away.”

My heart stutters in my chest before my pulse quickens. “You did?”

“I thought I couldn’t have you but I couldn’t be without you either.” He sets the picture back on the bookshelf.

All these years he’s thought about me as much as I thought about him. I trace my bracelet with my finger. We both had mementos we couldn’t let go.

He grasps my shoulders and spins me around to face him. “Will you forgive me, Bunny?”

I want to forgive him. I want to jump into his arms and taste his lips and forget all about the past week. But I’m not going to be the weak heroine. Not anymore.

“You can’t just barge into my house and build me some bookshelves and expect me to forgive you.”

“Full disclosure. I also moved my shit in.”

My mouth drops open. He moved his stuff in? How dare he? I shove those thoughts away. One thing at a time.

“I know you were hurting, but the things you said to me...” I shake my head. “I deserve better.” Caleb smiles and my brow furrows. “What are you smiling about?”

“Proud of you, Bunny. Proud of you finally realizing you deserve better.”

I try to stop it but warmth fills me at his words. Nothing feels better than knowing the man you love is proud of you. I lean toward him but stop when I realize he hasn’t apologized yet. Asking for forgiveness is not the same thing.

I scowl at him. “You can’t say you’re proud of me and everything is forgiven and forgotten.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I was an asshole. I should not have taken my anger out on you. It was unfair and wrong. I shouldn’t have said the things I did.” He hands me a card.

“What’s this?”

He taps the card. “Read it.”

It’s the business card of a therapist. My mouth drops open. “You’re going to therapy?”

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