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My chest tightens with pain but I keep walking.
“You’re my once in a lifetime. My forever. My in every universe, no matter what, it will still. Always. Be. You, Charlie.”
I turn back slowly. “What?”
"I fell in love with you. Three years ago. That’s why I ended it." He closes the distance. "Not the kiss, not because you weren't enough. I fell so hard and if I didn’t find a way to let you go, I’d end up hurting you.”
"You're not making sense. You mean the way Aiden hurt you?”
"Not exactly." He runs a hand down his face. "Dad came back and fixed everything. Cleaned up the house, his relationships, retired, saved the Inn. He gave us his all. But it was too late. I already made my decision. I’m never falling in love."
He strokes my cheek. "Then I met you. My little web." His eyes search mine. “You were so perfect. So innocent. Charlie, I couldn’t sleep with you knowing we had an expiration date.”
“Why didn't you just tell me?"
He tilts his head. "I was a coward. I knew you'd fight for me." He cups both my cheeks. “I made the biggest mistake of my life that night baby, not you.”
I shake my head in protest.
“Not you.” He repeats, holding my face. “After you ran off, I paced my living room for two hours. Knowing I couldn't keep stringing you along." He runs a hand down his face. "It was the hardest thing I ever had to do but I trained myself to be smart, not passionate."
A chill picks up and he wraps my hoodie around my shoulders.
"A year and a half ago, I changed my mind. With the help of my brothers, I realized I was a fool and came up with a plan to win you back. To tell you about my issues and beg you to understand. To give me a second chance.”
I frown, wondering why he didn’t come for me…until I remember the timing. “Then Elliot died.”
He drops his head. “I took it as a sign that I was going to ruin another life.”
“What do you mean?”
“Sometimes I think we screwed up so badly with him that Mom said fuck it, if you can’t take care of him, I will.” He sniffles, his eyes focused on the ground. “So she took him.”
I throw my arms around him. “Noah.”
He holds me tight, burying his head in my neck. “I’m so sorry, Charlie.”
I pull back. “I’m sorry too. About Landon, it was stupid. And desperate—”
He brings his forehead to mine. “It was the best fucking news I had all week.”
I release a breathy laugh. "You couldn't tell me this hours ago?"
"I don't know if you've noticed but I'm not good at this. How was I supposed to tell you that it doesn't fucking matter because you showed up at the wedding mine and you were leaving mine."
I shake my head with a laugh. "I've never stopped loving you."
He pulls me against him. "I will make up every single day. Just tell me where we're going."
"What?"
"If you want to leave, I'm going with you."
I look up at his house on the hill, at the colorful trees that surround us, the earthy familiar scent of the town I've always loved. And the man I'll always love. "Here. I want to be here. I want to wake up to these mountains and trees and crickets and spiders every day."
"With me," he says, like he needs the assurance.
"Only with you." I press onto my toes and he meets my lips, kissing me hard. Kissing me like this is forever.
