Page 42 of Faking It With the Single Dad

“I’m not leaving,” he says finally, his voice steady.

“You will,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “You might not mean to, but you will. And I can’t do that again, Ryan. Ican’t.”

The silence that follows is suffocating. Ryan runs a hand through his hair as he exhales sharply. “You’re scared,” he says quietly. “And I get that. But you don’t have to do this alone, Bella. You don’t have to keep pushing people away.”

I glance down at the floor, unable to meet Ryan’s eyes. His words replay in my head like a song I can’t turn off. “You’re scared.”

I hate how true that is.

I bite my lip hard, the sting grounding me. “I’m not pushing anyone away,” I say, but my voice lacks conviction, even to my ears.

He steps closer, his presence commanding, but his voice stays gentle. “Aren’t you?” he asks. “You ended things before we even got a chance to talk, before I could explain anything. That wasn’tabout me, Bella. That was about you and whatever walls you’ve built around yourself.”

My throat tightens. My instinct is to argue, to deflect, but deep down, I know he’s right. I’ve spent years guarding myself, convincing myself that I don’t need anyone. It’s safer that way. It hurts less.

“I’m just trying to protect myself,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

Ryan nods, his eyes softening. “I know. And I don’t blame you for that. But not everyone is going to hurt you, Bella. Not everyone is Caleb.”

The mention of Caleb feels like a slap, and I flinch despite myself. “This isn’t about Caleb,” I say defensively, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Isn’t it?” Ryan presses. “You’re still carrying that weight, Bella. I see it every time you look at me like you’re waiting for me to walk away. But I’m not him. I’m not going anywhere.”

“But everyone always leaves!” I can’t hold back the words anymore. “They promise they won’t, but they do. Caleb did. My parents did. Everyone does. And I can’t—I can’t go through that again. I won’t.”

“I’m not Caleb,” he says softly, stepping even closer to me. “I’m not him, Bella. I would never abandon you. You have to believe that.”

“It’s not that simple,” I whisper. “You can’t just say the right words and expect me to believe you. Words don’t mean anything, Ryan. Actions do.”

“Then let me prove it to you,” he says, his voice firm. “Let me show you that I’m not going anywhere.”

“How?” I ask, my voice rising in frustration. “How are you going to prove it? Are you going to move to Cedar Ridge? Quit your job? Give up your fancy life in the city? Because that’s what it would take, Ryan. That’s the only way I could believe you.”

My words hang in the air, heavy and challenging, and I brace myself for how much it will hurt to hear him say he won’t do it.

“Yes,” he says simply.

I blink. I must’ve heard him wrong. “What?”

“Yes,” he repeats. “I’ll do it. I’ll move here. I’ll quit my job. I’ll give up that life, my business, all of it. Because none of that matters without you.”

His words hit something deep inside me, cracking the carefully constructed armor I’ve built. I take a shaky breath and look up at him. His expression is open, vulnerable, and so full of hope that it makes my chest ache.

Chapter Sixteen

Ryan

Bella stares at me, her mouth slightly open, as if she can’t believe what she’s hearing.

She looks like she’s caught between disbelief and something I can’t quite name—hope, maybe. I take a step closer, making sure she hears every word.

“Ryan,” she finally whispers, her voice barely audible. “You can’t mean that.”

“I’ve never meant anything more in my life,” I say firmly, closing the distance between us. “Bella, I know what I want now. And it’s certainly not skyscrapers, boardroom meetings, or endless business trips searching for the next big deal. It’s this. It’s you. It’s Luke. It’s us. I want a family with you.”

She tries to gather herself. “You’re saying that now because of the fantasy of starting a family. But what happens when you wake up one day and miss the life you left behind? What happens when you begin to resent me for taking it from you?”

“I could never resent you,” I counter, my voice soft but persistent. “And it’s not a fantasy, Bella. It’s real. You’re real. What we have is real.”

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