Page 122 of Burning Love
“We’ll see you at Mom’s,” West said. He tilted his head and all the brothers followed, got in the two vehicles, and left.
“Why haven’t you replied to my text?” Jace asked.
“I just saw it when my phone rang,” she said. “I was sleeping.”
He walked toward her quickly. He wanted to hug her but didn’t think she’d let him.
“Are you okay?” His eyes were searching her face.
“I’m tired, but otherwise fine. It took you long enough to reach out to me.”
“I figured you were waiting for me,” he said, nodding. “And what it was you needed.”
“What is that?”
“You want me to tell you I love you,” he said gently.
“Not if you don’t mean it, Jace. And if you don’t, I understand. If you never do and we end up being friends, then that is what happens. But I would never, ever take our child from you. It was extremely hurtful you thought that.”
Her eyes filled with tears and it killed him to know how much he hurt her with his words and actions.
She all but laid it out what she wanted and he hadn’t seen.
Should she have communicated better? Yes. But so should he have.
He moved closer and pulled her into his arms to hold her.
“First, I love you. I didn’t know what love was. You’re right. I’ve never committed before and was afraid to. But I met you and that fear started to vanish. I went to talk to my mother today. I had to take the steps to put it behind me.”
“I love you too,” she said. “Even as scared as I am about your job, I still love you.”
“Why haven’t you told me? This is one of those things we have to talk about, Talia.”
She sighed. “Because you can’t be who you aren’t. I wasn’t trying to make you be someone else. My mother always had the fear with my father, but she’d never change him either. You don’tdo that to someone you love. You take the steps to accept those things and I’ve been doing that. It’s on me, not you.”
“You’re right. But I’m in line to be an Assistant Chief. Hopefully in less than two years. I won’t be on the front lines fighting fires anymore once I’m there.”
“Oh. I didn’t know that.”
“Because we didn’t talk about it. Again, you never brought it up. I could have relieved your mind.”
“Sometimes I don’t want to talk about things if I worry I won’t get an answer I’ll like. I need time to prepare for it.”
“And you thought I didn’t love you and that is why you didn’t want to talk about it?” he asked.
“I did. It was wrong of me to not say it a few days ago. I gave you hints and you didn’t get it. I even told you that you wanted those things for the baby. I wanted to be wanted for me, not because I was pregnant.”
“I’m sorry I told you rather than asked. I’m sorry I didn’t see what you wanted me to. You didn’t say it to me either. I love you. I wasn’t positive what it was, but I know now. I shouldn’t have judged you by what my mother did. That was wrong and I’ll apologize.”
“Thank you. It was all you had to go by and that is hard to not let it sway your opinion. I’m guilty of that in my life too. There are so many things we have to work through together. It’s not going to be smooth sailing. I know and I don’t expect it. I just want you. I want you to support me and be there for me. I’ve always known you’d be there for our baby.”
“I’ve been showing you that the best way I know how,” he said.
“I realize that now. You were willing to meet my family. You went to the doctor’s appointment with me. You want to go to them all. Some of it is your honor, but the other was you doing what felt right to you even if you didn’t know it was love.”
“That’s it,” he said. “Come here. I need to hold you more.”
“I need it too.”
