Page 261 of Show Me

His forehead creases. “Doing what?”

“Starting every conversation like you’re about to apologize.”

His shoulders drop a fraction. “I’m trying not to screw this up again.”

The honesty in it pulls at something deep inside me.

“I know, and I appreciate it. But you don’t have to earn your way through every conversation anymore.”

He doesn’t answer. Just looks at me. Like he’s trying to decide whether he heard that. I smile. Small. Real. “You've already done the hard part.”

His voice is barely above a whisper. “I have?”

“You showed up. Every time. Not because you had to. Because you wanted to.”

His throat works once. “I’m not going to stop.”

“I know.” And I do. That’s the difference. I know.

His eyes never leave mine. Something inside them shifts. Hope. Careful. Fragile. Like he’s afraid to believe what he’s hearing.

I take one slow step toward him. Closing just enough of the distance to make my next words impossible to misunderstand. “There's something I need to tell you.”

His entire body stills. “I’m waiting to hear whatever you have to say.”

I take a steadying breath. Then another. This changes everything. “I love you.”

Chapter One Hundred Forty-Six

Xavier

‘I love you.’ Everything inside me stops. The room. My heartbeat. My next breath. For one impossible second, I honestly think I imagined it.

I’ve heard those words a thousand times in my head over the last few weeks, usually right before I woke up, usually right before I remembered what I’d done.

Ruby loves me. My throat locks so hard it hurts.

She takes a hesitant step toward me. “I mean it. I’m sorry I made it seem like you had to earn that from me when it wasn’t you that caused everything to happen.”

God. She’s looking at me like she’s afraid I won’t believe her. The irony almost makes me laugh. She’s loved me all this time. And I’ve spent weeks trying to figure out how to convince her I loved her even when I was acting like an ass.

I open my mouth. Nothing comes out. Jesus Christ. Pull yourself together. Instead, my eyes burn. I blink hard once. Twice. Doesn’t help.

Ruby’s expression softens with understanding. “I’ve loved you for a long time. I barely even remember life when I didn’t love you.”

Something inside my chest gives. Not loud. Not dramatic. Just... gone. The wall I’ve been hiding behind for years isn’t there anymore.

I let out a shaky breath that sounds suspiciously close to a laugh. “I....” My voice catches. I shake my head once, trying again. “You have no idea....” Another breath. “I thought I lost you.”

Her eyes shine. “You didn’t.”

“I did.” The words scrape on the way out. “I lost you every time I said we were casual. That I didn’t want anyone else to know about us. I knew it was bullshit, but before I could tell you how I felt, I’d already screwed it up.” I drag both hands over my face. “I kept thinking....”

God. How do I explain this without sounding insane?

“I figured if I kept showing up...” I laugh. “Maybe someday you’d believe in me.”

She doesn't interrupt. She waits. The way she always does when something matters.