Page 60 of The Shy Waitress and Her Boss

"I'm telling youI love you."

And he was looking at her like he did mean that, and oh God, she couldn't...how could she believe him, after everything?

"I love you, to the point that the thought of never having you back makes me feel like I'm about to shit in my pants. I'm telling youI love you,to the point that I want to be in your life in any way possible."

His voice cracked, and hearing it made her own heart crack.

"Any fucking way, baby."

And the crack kept getting bigger.

"I'm so scared," she choked out, "to believe you."

"I know." His voice was bleak. "And I wish...I fucking wish there were words I could say to take the fear away. But there aren't. All I can tell you is that I've got the same fucking fear inside of me, and I don't think it will ever go away either. Because I've known the pain of losing you, and there will always be a part of me terrified as fuck that one day you'd come to your senses and walk away. But even with all that...I'd rather live with all of those fears, as long as I have you back."

And this time...

This time, her heart completely cracked open.

Sohisheart could be a part of hers again.

And they could heal together.

Slade tensed but forced himself to keep still when Kady slowly walked to him.

She took his hand, and his whole body went rigid.

Her gaze lifted to his.

"You once taught me how to know if I was making a certain face," she said tremulously, "when I'm looking at the person I wanted."

Slade jerked at the words.Was she saying...that she could talk about such a thing now...did it mean...

"I thought I'd r-return the f-favor this time." Her voice shook, and her fingers shook harder as she lifted his hand up and slowly pressed her cheek against it. "When a woman d-does this," she whispered, "and she's looking at a man..." The tears flowed in silence, but not a single one of them hurt. "That's how you know she's looking at the man she loves...and who loves her back."

Epilogue:

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