Page 43 of With You Forever

“You looked beautiful tonight.”

“I better have looked beautiful tonight because I singlehandedly ruined their party.” By now, Lacey’s on steadier legs, even though her embarrassment’s off the charts. Another party ruined because she couldn’t keep it together.

He chuckles. “You did no such thing.”

“At least I didn’t fall into a lake this time.”

Seth’s expression turns dark. With a sigh, he unbuttons his shirt and stretches out on the bed. “I ain’t laughin’, princess.”

“Well, I have to laugh, or else I’ll just cry.” She crawls across the bed toward him. “Although, I still like you carrying me out of parties.”

Seth laughs and reaches for her, pulling her into his lap. He kisses her temple, murmurs into her hair, “You’re exhausted.”

She palms his scruff, curls up against his broad chest. “You are too.”

“Yeah, but I ain’t runnin’ on fumes, Lace.” He shakes his head. “The party was a bad idea.”

“No, Seth. It wasn’t. I needed that. I needed to laugh tonight.” She looks up at him, and the hard clench of his jaw tells her he’s blaming himself. “I just ... I got too inside my mind. And I started thinking ...”

“’Bout what?”

“About the wedding.”

She feels his entire body tense. “What about it?”

Lacey stares at Seth, all her doubts, all her worries on the tip of her tongue. But how to say it? She’d hurt him. Her eyes fall to his bandaged hand. But if she goes through with this wedding, will she hurt him even more?

“Lace?”

His blue eyes search hers and she sees he’s afraid. Afraid of her answer.

She can’t do this to him. Hurt him like this. It’s like digging out her own heart with a pickaxe.

Her eyes shutter.

She can be strong.

So, swallowing down her worries, burying her anxiety, she forces a smile and gives a little shrug. “I was thinking we go with lobster instead of beef.”

His throat works as he stares at her, deciding whether to believe her. “Lobster instead of beef, huh? You sure that’s all it was?”

“Positive.”

For a long moment, he says nothing, his eyes never once leaving her face. Then, he exhales, tightening his hold on her. “Should I be worried?”

She thinks of the invites buried in her bag. “No.” A lie.

Seth smiles sadly. “You know I’m only ever going to love you, right?” His voice is thick. Low. “I love you, Lacey. So don’t run from me. Don’t.”

A tear slips down her cheek. Lacey stares up at Seth, transfixed. His strong jaw, the love in his eyes, the strength in his words—it’s all she can do not to fall apart.

Seth, this wonderful man, who always dragged Lacey back from the dark places her mind would go, who’s always there for her when she’s falling apart, is here. Ready and willing to hold whatever she wants to give.

And she wants to, God, how she aches to. Wants to explode from her heart and scream her worries, her fears, her anxieties, but she can’t.

Because saying it breaks them.

And she doesn’t want to break them. They were already broken, a long time ago, and now they’ve come together, heart to heart and soul to soul.

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