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“Meaning?” he questioned needing to know why she refused to acknowledge what he knew they had.
“Meaning I’m not the same person anymore—I don’t trust people Tyler. I just see the bad and pain that’s likely to come from being close to someone and knowing how our families are likely to react…”
“You want to push me away? Me?” Tyler asked wrapping his arms around her, pulling her back against his chest to hold onto her, show her the safety of his presence in her life. “After everything we shared do you honestly believe I would ever hurt you Just?”
“It’s not rational Tyler, I know that, but it’s who I am now.”
“It’s who you’re letting yourself be now,” he argued resting his cheek against hers. “You know with everything you are thatIwould never hurtyou, baby. You wouldn’t be here with me right now if you didn’t know that.”
“Rationally yes but trusting someone isn’t rational Tyler.”
“Like hell it isn’t, it’s the most rational thing in the world, and you gave me your total trust before—you know it’s still there.”
“Says who? Maybe I simply can’t get enough sex,” she said, trying to stop him from pushing her to admit that she did trust him still, love him still.
“If that was true you’d have taken any of the others up on their offers tonight instead of waiting until I could get here to you,” he said smiling, dropping a quick kiss on her cheek. “You want this as much as I do Justine.”
“But my head tells me how much of a mess it’ll cause and the pain that will come with it and it makes me want to run away,” she argued.
“Which is precisely why you can’t listen to your head, listen to your heart and you’ll see it’s saying the same as mine,” Tyler replied, and she sighed knowing it was true. There wasn’t a single moment in the last ten years that she hadn’t loved him beyond measure. “You’re scared, I get that. I’m scared I’ll lose you again but I’m not letting it keep me from being with you. You are the only person in the entire world who can destroy me. You have this power over me, and I know how easy it would be for you to take it and run but I trust in us enough to give us another chance—do you?”
“I want to, but I don’t know if I’m strong enough to face it all Tyler,” she said moving so she could see his face clearly.
“Then let me be strong for both of us for now. Stop looking over your shoulder expecting the worst, Just. Lean on me and we’ll make this work. Stay—here with me,” he added with a soft kiss.
She gave into him, knowing she couldn’t leave him yet, “We stay like this—hidden from everyone else?”
“Until we’re both in the same place and can face our families together,” he agreed holding her until she fell back asleep. “Just like this Justine, always,” he whispered against her ear smiling when she sighed relaxing further into his hold allowing him to sleep again without worrying she’d disappear before he woke.
Chapter 5
“So how are you holding up?” Grace asked coming around the corner of the path at the gazebo searching for him.
“Just fine Grace,” Tyler replied pausing his work to rest his arm on top of the shovel.
“Really?” she said shaking her head slightly seeing the look in his eyes. “I’ll be damned…”
“What?” Tyler said seeing the smile appear on her face.
“You’re in love again and it’s most certainlynotwith the fiancée that just left town,” she stated surveying him and the area again.
“If you say so—maybe I’m just relieved to not be getting married to a woman I don’t love after all,” he offered with a shrug before going back to digging a small hole with the smile still there.
“No that’s not it at all,” Grace stated as the timing of everything finally made sense. “Holy hell…”
“What?” Tyler said pausing.
“I can’t believe I never figured it out,” Grace said shaking her head in disbelief.
“Figured what out?” he asked cautiously.
“Figured out who she was…I mean it’s so obvious now. You’re in love…with Justine Crawford,” she said quietly, glancing around the area before she did.
“Grace, I think the doctor needs a doctor,” Tyler said with a laugh despite his desire to admit the truth.
“No I don’t, you went from happy to miserable the summer after high school, not too long after Justine left town. Now…she came back to town the day you shredded your hand on the shovel. She’s been in town since then and you’re completely and utterly in love with her, aren’t you?” Grace asked, demanding the truth as he moved to leave. She reached out, taking hold of his arm adding, “I’ll file it under doctor-patient confidentiality right now Tyler so just answer me honestly. You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”
Tyler stared at his cousin until he had to admit the truth. “Fine,” he sighed. “Yes, I am and have always been in love with Justine. We were together the last two and a half years of high school, and we were planning on running away and getting married after graduation.”
