Page 96 of Falling For You

“I’m glad you’ve found some peace with it,” I said, giving him a small smile. “I really am.”

He nodded, his eyes locked on mine. “And I hope you find that same peace, Violet. I know I messed up, but you deserve to heal, to move on. And if that means I’m not part of your life, then… I’ll respect that.”

The sincerity in his voice broke something in me.

I felt my eyes begin to sting with the threat of tears. I blinked them away quickly, refusing to let them fall. This wasn’t the time for tears. This was closure.

“Thank you,” I whispered. “For everything. I mean that.”

Owen didn’t respond, but the look in his eyes told me he understood. He stood up slowly, and for a moment, I thought he would reach for me, to pull me into his arms the way he had done so many times before.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he walked over to the door and opened it, giving me the space to leave.

I stood, feeling a strange sense of finality settle over me. This was really it, the end of whatever had been between us. I wanted to say something more, to offer him one last piece of comfort, but the words wouldn’t come.

Instead, I gave him one last look, memorizing how he stood there, solid and steady despite everything that had happened. And then, without another word, I stepped through the door and walked into the hotel’s hallway.

And I let the emotions sink in for the first time in a long time.

Relief, sadness, gratitude, and heartbreak.

I had done what I needed to do. I had found my closure.

But somehow, it didn’t feel like a victory.

It felt like the loss of something I hadn’t been ready to let go of.

I rode down the elevator and walked through the lobby with a quick wave to Jessie at the counter before stepping outside.

The wind tugged at my hair as I walked toward my car.

My mind wasa jumble of thoughts.

I knew this was the right decision. I understood that I couldn’t let myself fall back into something that wasn’t built on a foundation of trust. But knowing that didn’t make it hurt any less.

As I turned the car onto Main Street, I stopped at a crosswalk and looked back toward the hotel, wondering if he felt as heavy about this decision as I did.

I would heal.

I would move on.

And maybe someday, I would find the strength to trust again. But for now, I had to focus on myself, my family, and the future that was still waiting for me.

And for the first time in a long time, I felt like I had the strength to do just that.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Violet

“I’m so hot,” I moaned to Liam.

He chuckled. “Yes, you are. But no one will know that under this costume.”

“Har-dee-har-har.” I rolled my eyes, but he saw nothing but furry brown eyebrows. “It’s like thirty degrees outside tonight. I don’t understand how I’m sweating. We’re in a barn, for crying out loud.”

“Seriously? You’re in a hundred pounds of fur.” He glanced around. “Not to mention, the barn is heated.”

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