Page 92 of Beyond Question

So I’m still careful. I probably always will be.

I think, even if Archer died, I’d still be careful. It has been the key to my survival for thirty long years—my awards ceremony carelessness aside. Vigilance is a part of who Iam now, regardless of who is in my life. Regardless of the overprotective man who refuses to leave my side and has somehow fallen head over heels in love with me—in spite of my secrets and lies.

And, remarkably, he has made me believe that maybe, even for me, happily ever after could be a real, tangible thing. Someday, of course. We’re still far too new to be thinking about anything more than one day at a time. Although, living together, even temporarily, makes it feel like we’ve skipped over all the dating parts most normal people do and jumped right into forever.

Travis, ever the knight in shining armor I never knew I needed, uses my safety as an excuse to be near me as much as possible.

I should hate it, but I don’t.

You’d think that after three decades of pushing people away, of doing everythingbymyself andformyself, I’d want my own space, my routine. My habits and rituals.

Yet, every time I find something new that reminds me of Travis, whether it’s the toothbrush he set in the holder beside mine or the scent of his aftershave that lingers in the bedroom after he heads off to work each day, I find myself smiling.

He’s everywhere and I can’t find it in me to hate that fact.

Cabot’s driver pulls to a stop in front of Turn the Paige and I climb out of the car. I tried to decline the car service but it was either this, or Travis dropping me off at work like a parent might deliver their child to school, and this was the lesser of the two options.

I understand that he is worried, and, for now, I can compromise.

But soon I’ll need my space again, even if it’s only in small increments like riding the subway to work like I used toor reclaiming my small home to myself—though that thought makes my heart pinch uncomfortably.

Which is silly, but I’ll analyze that later.

Had I the control over my life that I thought I did, I would have taken things slow with Travis.

Okay, truthfully, I would have pushed him away again, I’m sure.

But he would have bounced right back like a boomerang because he’s been sure of us since Day One.

I wish I had his confidence, but the fact that he’s so convinced we’re meant to be together is something I choose to lean into. Even if it terrifies me. But circumstances and his stubbornness have pushed us together and, though it’s been such a short time, now I can’t remember my life before I woke up to that cocksure smile every morning.

Once Wendel has done his security sweep, he returns to the curb and gives me a curt nod.

“Thank you,” I say as I stride past him to the building.

As I step into Turn the Paige, I wave behind me as Wendel joins Joey at the curb, then I close the door, locking it behind me as I’ve been instructed to do—both by the overbearing men at the curb and the one who now sleeps in my bed.

It’s Saturday, so no one else is in the office, but I couldn’t stay away any longer. This company is my baby nearly as much as Bronte is, and I’ve missed being here.

It’s time to get back to normal.

Stopping at reception, I finger through the stack of mail.

Lois has been keeping things in order, but I have much to attend to. This stack of bills and junk mail at the top of the list.

But I’m not even dreading it. I’m happy to be back, excited to move forward while settling back into my routine.

I haven’t felt this light, this…settledin my entire adult life. It’s a feeling I could get used to; a feeling Iwantto get used to.

Travis refused to give up on me, and in matching my stubbornness with an even stronger stubborn streak of his own, he did more than just giveusa chance; he gavemea chance.

A true chance to be happy.

A chance to breathe.

I always believed in love—it comes with the territory—I just never believed in that kind of thing for me. Soul mates and happily ever afters… they were for other people, the Rylans of the world. Maybe even Bronte.

But not me.

---