Page 114 of Say You Remember Me
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MADDIE
When we pulled backinto Ian’s driveway after dinner, Grant unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned forward between the front seats. “Can I play with the kitten one more time before we go?”
I glanced at Ian to see what he thought, and after searching my face as if to assure himself that it was okay with me, he turned back to Grant and said, “Of course.”
Grant was already off, calling for Ian’s cat as he darted into the living room, and I stood in the archway by the kitchen, watching him with a smile.
As the kitty pounced on the toy mouse Grant dangled in front of him, I couldn’t help but feel…content. Happy. The kind of deep, steady happiness that had been elusive for so long.
And then I felt it—Ian’s hand slipping into mine.
I blinked, startled by the warmth of his touch, but as I looked down at our fingers intertwined, I realized how natural it felt. Like it had always been this way, even though it hadn’t. A flutter spread through my chest, light and soft, and I glanced up at him.
Ian didn’t say a word. He didn’t break the moment or let go. He just stood beside me, his quiet smile directed at Grant as he played, as if he belonged here just as much as I did.
And oh, this wasnice.Peaceful, even.
It struck me, in that quiet space, how strange it was that this man—who could make my heart race wildly and leave me breathless—was also the one who made me feel calm. Safe.
That word—safe—settled over me like a revelation, making my throat tighten. Safety and security were the very things I’d been chasing for so long, always just out of reach. I’d spent years treading water, constantly on edge, waiting for the next wave to knock me under. Then just when I thought I had things figured out, something would shift—Jaxon, bills, work, life—and I’d be scrambling again, trying to hold it all together for Grant.
But with Ian? I didn’t know how he did it, but being around him made me feel like I could let go of that constant vigilance. I could take a breath. I could stop scanning the horizon for the next storm and just…be.
It was like taking a vacation from my problems, knowing I could lean on him for a moment, let him take the reins—and when I came back, everything would still be okay. Probably even better than before.
And that was what did it. That was what really got to me. Sure, Ian was the most physically attractive man I’d ever met—let’s be real—but his capability? The way he stepped up, the way he was so steady and reliable? That might just be the sexiest thing about him.
Years spent with someone I couldn’t rely on had chipped away at me, made me suspicious of everyone and everything. But with Ian, I felt…held.
His thumb began tracing gentle circles over my knuckles, the gentle motion pulling me back to the present. And when I realized he was running it over the large diamond ring I stillwore, I stiffened slightly, remembering I was supposed to give it back today.
“Oh,” I said, pulling my hand from his and twisting the ring free. “I guess I should probably give this back to you now.”
I held it out, expecting him to take it right away.
But he didn’t.
His gaze lingered on the ring, then shifted back to me, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face. “You can hold onto it a little longer if you need,” he said after a beat. “I mean, what if your dad tries to FaceTime you and notices you’re not wearing it?”
I smiled faintly, touched by the suggestion—by the fact that he didn’t seem to want me to stop wearing it, either. “He did mention wanting to meet this mysterious fiancé of mine when he comes to Eden Falls in a few weeks,” I admitted. “But I think he’ll be feeling good enough by then that I can let him down gently about the engagement being called off. I don’t think he’ll be too disappointed.”
“Okay.” Ian exhaled, a quiet chuckle slipping out as he finally opened his hand. I dropped the ring onto his palm, watching as his fingers curled around it. For a moment, it seemed like he wanted to say more, but then he cleared his throat. “I’ll just put this away in my room for safekeeping.”
“Good idea,” I said, forcing a casual tone to hide the strange sense of loss I felt at no longer wearing it. “You’ll stick it in the jewelry safe you probably have in your closet, right?”
He let out a real laugh at that, the kind I could feel in my chest. “How did you know I had one of those?”
I shrugged, letting my smile widen. “It just seemed like something you’d have.”
“You’re not wrong,” he said, shaking his head with amusement. “I’ll be right back.”
As Ian disappeared down the hall, I found myself glancing after him, curiosity stirring. What did his bedroom look like? I’d only seen the main rooms of the house so far—the sleek, modern living room, the gorgeous kitchen—but I had no doubt the rest was just as exquisite.
It was the kind of space I could’ve spent hours admiring. My degree in interior design had given me a front-row seat to some incredible homes over the years, but none of them compared to this one.
I’d always had a vague idea of what my dream home would look like if I ever managed to save enough money to buy it. But after spending a little time in this home, I was pretty sure it was literally my dream home now.
