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She squeezed his hand. “I’m aware now that I need to be careful when you’re in the grip of a nightmare or flashback and that you don’t know what you’re doing when they take you. Just understand that I will always call you back to me.”
“I’ve been trying to get back to you since the day I met you. I will always find my way to you.”
Her eyes glassed over. “I know you will.”
He sighed. “It’s late. Get dressed. Drink your coffee. I’ll have Eliza ready to go.” He stepped away, but Shelby tugged on his hand to get him to stop and turn back.
“I’m not going anywhere, Chase.” She didn’t mean today. She meant ever.
He didn’t know how much he needed to hear that and how afraid he was that his issues—the PTSD, the anxiety, the anger that sometimes came over him—any or all of it could make him lose her.
Meds. Therapy. Whatever it took, he’d do it so he could be healthy and happy and as close to whole as he could get.
“Trust me, Chase. Trust in us.”
“I trust you with my life.”
She’d saved it enough times just by being there and standing with him. But there was only so much a person could take. He’d put her through a lot. A pregnancy on her own. Raising their child, mostly on her own up until recently. His drug abuse, bad behavior, and not making her and Eliza his priority.
He was working on all of it. But what if he didn’t get his act together before her patience and understanding wore out?
“I keep my promises.” She’d sworn last night that she wanted to be with him.
“I’m holding you to it. And I will keep my promise to you to keep working with Dr. Porter, taking my meds, and talking to you about how I’m doing and what I need.”
“One day at a time,” she reminded him, accepting there wasn’t a quick fix and they’d take things as they came.
He leaned down and kissed her softly. “Hurry up. You’ll be late, and you said you’d be home early.”
He hoped she thought of this place as home.
If not now, then soon.
Chapter Twenty
Chase walked out to the porch, happy to see Shelby and Eliza getting out of the car. That joy turned to excitement when he saw the two big duffel bags Shelby pulled out of the back seat.
She glanced at him and smiled, though it seemed strained. “Can you get the box of toys and books I brought?”
He met Eliza on the path and scooped her up. “Hi. How was your day?”
“Good. Finger paint.” Eliza wiggled her fingers in front of his face, showing off the vibrant prime colors painted on her nails. Each finger was a different color.
“Aren’t you supposed to paint on paper?”
“I did.” She scrunched her little lips tight. “And this.” She wiggled her fingers again.
“Okay.” He didn’t see a problem with her leaving the paint on her fingernails. More than likely it would wash off in the bath tonight.
Chase set Eliza down and went to take the two heavy bags from Shelby. “Let me carry those. I’ll come back for the box.”
Shelby shook her head. “I’ve got this. You get that and her in the house. We need to talk, and there isn’tmuch time.” With that grenade dropped between them, she walked up the porch steps and into the house.
Eliza stared up at him. “Toys.”
Right. She wanted to have something to play with while she was here.
He went to the open car door and pulled out the heavy box. “You must have a lot of toys if you’ve got this big a load to bring here.”
