Page 45 of The One Who Risked it All

But reality had a way of creeping in, even in moments like these. As another cool gust of wind swept over us, I couldn’t suppress a small shiver. Eli immediately shifted closer, his warmth radiating against my side.

“You sure you’re not cold?” he asked again, his voice low and gentle.

I turned to look at him, finding his face much closer than I expected. Those dark eyes of his seemed to see right through me, past all my carefully constructed defenses. And just like that, I felt myself start to crumble.

I shook my head, managing a small smile. “I’m fine. Just...” I trailed off, not sure how to finish that sentence.

I took a deep breath, my gaze drifting back to the dark silhouettes of the trees. “Eli,” I began, my voice barely above a whisper. “What are we doing?”

From the corner of my eye, I saw him stiffen slightly. “What do you mean?”

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to continue. “This... us. Our families. The feud.” The words tumbled out, gaining momentum. “We can’t just pretend it doesn’t exist. That it doesn’t affect everything between us.”

As I spoke, I felt Eli’s eyes on me, intense and unwavering. His expression softened, and without a word, he reached for my hand. His touch was gentle, almost hesitant, as if he feared I might pull away. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. The warmth of his fingers intertwined with mine sent a familiar spark through my body, a bittersweet reminder of what we once had – and what we could still have, if only...

His thumb traced small circles on the back of my hand. It was such a simple gesture, yet it spoke volumes. Here was the Eli no one else got to see, the one who could make me feel safe and understood with just a touch.

I took a shaky breath, feeling the weight of years of unresolved frustration pressing down on me. “It’s just... do you ever wonder what might have been? If our families weren’t...” I trailed off, unable to find the right words.

“At each other’s throats?” Eli supplied, a hint of his usual humor in his voice. But I could hear the underlying tension, the pain that mirrored my own.

I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat. “Yeah. That.” I paused, gathering my courage. “Sometimes, I feel like I’m being torn in two, Eli. I love my family, I do. But loving you...” The words hung in the air between us, heavy with implication.

Eli’s hand tightened around mine, and I could feel him shift closer on the swing. “I know,” he murmured. “Believe me, I know.”

I turned to look at him then, really look at him. In the soft glow of the porch light, I could see the conflict in his dark eyes,the same struggle I felt every day reflected back at me. My heart ached with the familiarity of it all.

“Remember when your dad caught us under the bleachers?” I asked, my voice wavering slightly. “I thought the world was ending. And in a way, I guess it did.”

Eli let out a low chuckle, but there was no real humor in it. “Yeah, that was... Dad went ballistic. I’d never seen him so angry.”

I nodded, feeling the old pain resurface. “My dad wouldn’t even look at me for days. And he still won’t tell me what started all this in the first place.”

As I spoke, I could feel the weight of our shared history pressing down on us. The stolen moments, the secret smiles, the dreams we’d dared to dream – all of it overshadowed by a feud we didn’t understand and couldn’t control.

“Sometimes,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper, “I wonder if it would have been easier if I’d never fallen for you in the first place.”

The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted them. But Eli just squeezed my hand, his touch a silent reassurance. He understood. Of course he did. He always had.

I turned to look at Eli, half-expecting to see hurt in his eyes. Instead, I found a fierce determination that made my breath catch.

“Carla,” he said, his voice low and intense, “I know this isn’t easy. It’s probably the hardest thing we’ve ever faced. But I believe in us. You’re worth whatever obstacle I have to face. Even if it is my own family.”

His words sent a spark of hope through me, even as my practical side tried to squash it. “How can you be so sure?” I asked, unable to keep the longing out of my voice.

Eli’s lips quirked into that infuriating half-smile I’d always loved. “Because I’m stubborn as a mule, and so are you. And when we put our minds to something...”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “We’re an unstoppable force?”

“Exactly.” He nodded, his eyes twinkling. But then his expression sobered. “Look, I’m not saying it’ll be easy. But I think what we have is worth fighting for.”

As I processed his words, Eli’s gaze drifted to the tree line. His jaw tightened, and I knew he was gearing up to say something difficult.

“The thing is,” he began, his voice hesitant, “it’s not just about our families. I’ve got my own demons to wrestle with.”

I waited, giving him space to continue. Eli rarely opened up like this, and I didn’t want to spook him.

“My dad...” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “He’s always expected me to be just like Nathan. The golden boy, you know? And no matter what I do, I can never seem to measure up.”

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