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“Jesse showed me how to make pancakes. Other than that, I don’t think I’ll be wrestling much of anything.”

“That sounds perfect to me. We’ll do it together.” She blushes, which tells me it pleases her.

“When I get home, I’m going to have Elizabeth teach me to cook.”

My gaze bounces over her face. She’s talking about JD’s as if she really feels it’s her home. It makes me happy. JD was right; she does need them right now. I look around the cabin. Her being here has served its purpose, but I think it’s time to get back to the game of life.

She’s already looking ahead. I think she’s excited even.

Me too.

“Is Elizabeth a good cook?” I ask, gently pushing her off my lap to get the fire going. It’s chilly, and I can’t have my girl being cold.

Lexie stands and stretches. “She is and so is JD. With their help, maybe I’ll actually be able to cook you a meal all by myself someday.”

I toss a log in the fireplace. “So, it sounds like you’ve given in to the idea of us.”

“I don’t know how this works, Ash, but I do know I want something different in my life. Something that doesn’t make me feel ...”

When she doesn’t finish, I turn to look at her. She’s biting her lip, struggling not to cry. I take a step to comfort her, but she puts her hand up to stop me.

“When I’m with you, I feel like a real person. You seem to value things about me others have never noticed. I know you still see the dark parts of me, but you don’t admonish them. You hold space for all of me equally. I didn’t believe it could be true, but your gifts to me were so …” Lexie looks away. “So thoughtful and kind. I don’t ever want to lose that.” She digs the palm of her hands into her eyes. “God, I don’t want to mess this up.”

This time I don’t let her stop me. I go to her and wrap her in my arms. “There are going to be times when each of us mess up, but I made a promise a long time ago that I was going to commit to building a life with you, Lexie.”

She lays her cheek over my heart. “I’m not going to pretend I understand why you’ve chosen me, but I do want to commit to you too.”

I tighten my arms around her. I know most would think I’m crazy to trust her, but I do. Lexie can be trustworthy. I have faith in that. “You and I are going to be great together,” I tell her.

The way her green eyes sparkle with tears takes my breath away. I believe every word out of my mouth because I know in my heart we can be everything good in this world. Will it be easy?

My guess is no.

But it will definitely be worth it.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Lexie

Ash and I sit cross-legged on the floor, both facing the windows. A large bowl of popcorn sits between us. He traces a raindrop down the glass with the tip of his finger.

“There’s a number in your phone. It’s under Christian. He’s a friend of mine. He’s a vet, too. If my behavior ever concerns you, you can call him. He’ll know how to help.”

I feel like he’s just tossed me a life raft. This is why I love him. He never leaves me without help. Not that he doesn’t trust me to handle it, he just wants to make sure I have backup. Something I’d never experienced until meeting him. He’s never left me with anyone who’s unreliable. I feel so incredibly safe with him and the people he surrounds himself with.

“If there are ways I can learn to help, please teach me.”

A boyish smile pulls at the corner of his mouth. “Well, you know what really helps me feel better?”

We stare at each other; his beautiful eyes don’t miss a thing. He’s the most observant person I’ve ever met. His pupils dilatewhen I lean forward ever so slightly in my eagerness. “No, but I want to.”

“Scoot closer and I’ll show you,” he teases. It’s flirty and playful, but in no way does it feel disrespectful. He moves the popcorn out of the way.

When our knees touch, he drapes his arm across my shoulders and pulls me close. “There, much better.”

I rest my head on his shoulder, letting myself relax. The fire crackles, and the rain softly patters against the window. “I agree. This makes me feel better too.”

He lets out a happy sigh as he rests his cheek against my head. “This has been a pretty good second date.”