Page 274

She looks around.

At the flowers.

At everything she built for herself.

She meets my eyes.

“It feels like mine.”

That hits.

Harder than I expect.

“Good,” I say.

Because she deserves that.

She steps closer.

Slow.

Intentional.

“You stayed,” she says.

“Yeah.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“Yeah, I did.”

“Why?”

There it is.

The question.

I step in.

Close.

No space left.

“Because it’s you.”

No hesitation.

“I care about you. More than I should.”

Her breath catches.

She searches my face.

Won’t find doubt.

“Good,” she whispers.

“Good?”