Page 60 of Chosen Road

“But…” Alex pushed, and I cut him off.

“Can’t rush things between me and Mom, buddy. Yiayia needs help. We’re family so we’re going to help, but Momma and I have to work our own stuff out.”

“But we’re still a family?” He circled his finger around to include the three of us.

Amber made a small sound in her throat, and I answered, “Always, buddy. We’ll always be a family.” I reached for Amber’s hand as I spoke, and she quickly intertwined her fingers with mine.

“Are we going to all live together?” He asked, glancing hopefully at our joined hands.

“As soon as we figure everything out, you’ll be the first to know.”

He hung his head for a moment, looking just as defeated as his mother, and I owned that as well.

Amber released my hand and ran her fingers through his hair, drawing him close to her.

He looped his arms around her waist. “I love you, Momma.”

“S’agapo, agori mou,” she whispered into his hair. “I’ll see you Tuesday, okay?”

He gave her one last squeeze, grabbed the backpack he’d taken to Jace’s, and trudged up to his room.

“What are we doing here, Angus? We can’t keep dragging this out,” she whispered.

“You’re right, we can’t,” I agreed firmly. “I want you to come home.”

Her eyes flew up to mine, startled and almost angry. “I can’t!”

“Why?”

Her mouth opened and closed several times, the words disappearing the moment they passed her lips. Finally, she repeated what she’d already said, “I just can’t.”

“Are you unable to get past it?” Maybe the direct approach would be best.

Her face paled, and she whispered, “You chose her over me.” Immediately, tears sprung to her eyes and my heart broke.

I reached for her elbow, and though she flinched, I pulled her closer to me anyways. I looked down into the face belonging to the one I loved more than anything in this world. “Amber, I would never choose anyone over you.”

She scanned my face for a moment, then closed her eyes and rested her forehead on my chest.

I looped my arms loosely around her waist and lay my cheek on the top of her head. “I don’t deserve you, but you deserve to be loved the way I love you, the fucking exact way that I love you.”

She flinched again. I imagined she had a deep, purple bruise on her soul, and it was my touch, and my words, continually pressing on it that elicited that reaction. I prayed it would be my touch, and my words, that would heal it.

“I’ve watched you over the past year, Amber.I prayed you’d find happiness and at one point, I was so desperately sad for you, that I prayed you’d find love. You haven’t. You deserve it.I’ve got it.And I know you still love me.”

I waited, holding my breath.

“Love wasn’t enough last time,” she murmured against my chest.

I released my breath in satisfaction that she did not deny her love for me. I couldn’t unbreak her heart, but I could give her all of mine. Even if she left it to bleed out on the floor, she was worth the risk. She was worth everything.

“I believe in us, Amber. You pulled away…” She stiffened in my arms, and I ran my hand down her spine to sooth the ache created by my words. “You must have had a reason. When you did that, I got hurt, and I pulled away as well. I can’t take away half my heart and expect that to make us whole. I’m giving you all of it. I won’t pull away again.”

Her hands that rested lightly on my waist crept around my back as she nestled closer.

“Can you give me some time?”

“I’ll give you anything.”

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