Page 3 of From Us, Forever

Because one thing was constant—our love didn’t fade or simmer. It grew calmer and louder.

The rainfall shower poured over my head like a massive downpour, sinking into my muscles as it woke me up. I lathered a thick foam of Jay’s expensive body wash over my skin as I drenched myself under the hot steaming water, smelling like seawater and oak.

A happy sigh left my lips as I closed a fluffy robe around me ten minutes later. My skin pruned and flushed from the heatas I stood in front of the pristine stormy-gray bathroom counter.

Weaving a brush through my wet hair, I untangled my long brown strands till they fell soft and straight. Peering at the soaked brown locks cascading down just above my hips, I realized my hair had gotten too long.

The more I stared at myself in the mirror, the more self-dooming thoughts laced through the existing wildness in my head.

This was the first time that Jay and I would be out in public together as a couple.

I could already feel my stomach turning at the thought of being at this party by his side. I was going to skip the red carpet, but still, people would seemewith him.

A washed-out pale-skinned girl with wide brown eyes and a nose too small for her face.

It felt like I was right back to the first day of high school again, and no amount of deep breaths would make it right.

I sighed onelast breath at the wide-eyed girl staring back at me in the mirror and headed out.

I knew I was spiraling into my old beliefs and patterns. I thought I’d gotten so much better, but the thought of being in the public eye with him was spinning me back.

Since we got back together, we’d only kept to ourselves, so I wasn’t sure if I was ready just yet. But when would I ever be if I wasn’t now?

“You’ve been in there for a long time,” Jay said as I entered the room. He had shifted to the lone armchair by the expansive window and was playing his guitar.

I shrugged, easing down on the edge of the bed. I read books about strong female characters who wouldn’t let something like this wreck their mind, and at times like this, I wished I was like that, blazing through the doubts to stand proud and tall with the love of their life.

“What’s wrong?” Jay sounded concerned as he walked up to me. “I thought you were getting ready? Do you not feel well?” His palm touched my forehead.

I forced a small smile. “I’m fine.”

He gave me a pointed look. “I know when you’re fine and when you’re not, Evy. Don’t try to fool me. Tell me what’s got you sulking?”

“I’m not sulking,” I protested, my gaze dropping to the floor.

“Cute.” He placed a quick kiss on my pouted lips, bringing my eyes back to him. “But you can’t fool me.” He put a hand on my shoulder, threading it through my hair. “Fuck, your hair is wet. Did you even try to dry it?”

“No,” I mumbled, and he gave me an exasperated look before disappearing into the bathroom.

I sighed. There was no escaping him. Moments like this were the hard part of being in a relationship. It felt like I had to bare the naked, vulnerable parts of me that he could see straight through.

It was one of the reasons I was putting off moving in together. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to get thrust into his level of scrutiny.

“Here,” he said, turning my back toward him as he towel dried my hair.

And my heart tugged.

Because even though dreaded thoughts sucked me alive, there was him. There was this man who loved me and took care of me like no one else did. It only made me fall for him more than I thought possible.

It was a crushing and soul-wrenching kind of love.Our love.

“There you go,” he said, his eyes soft after he had toweled off most of the wetness from my lengthy brown strands. He cast the towel aside and dropped beside me, gathering me in his arms.

With my back hitting his chest, he hooked a finger under my chin and brought my gaze to his imploring blues, so full of questions. “Now, will you tell me what’s wrong?”

I sighed a heavy breath, but it still didn’t help with the heaviness in my chest. But I swallowed through it as I mumbled, “It feels weird to go out with you. I mean, people will be looking at you,at me.”

He frowned. “Why?”

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