Page 116 of The Widower
When he finished, I turned toward him—and the tears came before I could stop them.The gesture was just... too much.
“No, no, no crying,” he muttered, looking away.But I could tell even he was a little shaken seeing me that emotional.
“I... I don’t even know what to say, how to thank you...”I sobbed.
“You don’t have to. I just got tired of you hanging around my house all day, so I sped things up,” he said dryly, trying to sound funny.
I couldn’t help but smile through the tears and threw my arms around him, holding him tight. That man never stopped surprising me.
“You and your thing for hugging,” he said against my hair.
“You and your thing for being bipolar,” I shot back, still emotional. “I honestly don’t know why I like you. I really don’t.”
“I’m unpredictable. That’s all,” he said.
I studied his eyes, and as always, there was that flicker of discomfort there—like he wasn’t used to being seen.
“Why do you hide your good heart?” I asked softly.“Deep down, you care about the people around you. I know you do. You’re a good man, Colin. A good person. You’re just stuck in the past, and that’s what makes you so angry all the time. You need to look at your present—your future—and realize there are people who care about you. I care. And not just because of the things you’ve done for me, but because of how you treat everyone. You’re wonderful with Hanna, you helped my mom when she needed it most, you’re trying to reconnect with your son... and you treat your employees with respect, which, honestly, I didn’t expect when we first met. You don’t need to pretend to be someone you’re not.”
Maybe I’d said too much. But I didn’t regret it.Colin understood me—probably more than he wanted to admit. And even if he tried to hide it, I could see the truth in his eyes.
“I think I prefer the hug,” he said quietly. “You go overboard with words when you’re emotional.”
“Then I’ll make it my mission to bring the old Colin back,” I whispered. “And I’ll do everything I can to see you happy again.”
“That’s not going to happen, unfortunately. Time doesn’t go backward, and some wounds never really heal.”
Hanna and my mom walked into the house, and just like me, they were stunned by how different everything looked—the layout, the furniture, the little details.
We headed toward the bedrooms, and even those had been transformed. Beautifully, actually. Colin definitely had a knack for interior design.
“There’s another surprise,” he said. “Open all the closets.”
We did as he asked. One by one, we opened each closet door and found them filled with new clothes—different styles, neatly arranged.
“I had a little help from your mom,” he explained. “I know a thing or two about women’s clothes, but some of it’s… more complicated.”
“Are we moving back here?” Hanna asked this time, sounding less than thrilled.
“Yes, sweetheart.”
“Oh… do I have to, Mom?” she said sadly, and the reason behind her tone hit me immediately.
Hanna…
“Why are you sad, little one?” Colin asked, his voice soft.
“Oh, I just like your big house better.”
“Hanna, honey…” I rubbed my temples, closing my eyes. Kids always have perfect timing for the most awkward things.
“It’s okay, Isabelle.”
He crouched down so he was eye-level with her.
“You can come over every day if you want, don’t worry.Nothing’s going to change, Hanna.”
“Hmm. You promise?”
