Page 120 of Here With Me

Those three little words wrap around my heart like a vise grip and nearly suffocate me to death.

I almost wish she hadn’t said it.

So goddamn stubborn.

But hearing them is equally beautiful and painful.

I’ll cherish those words until I die.

Silently, I cup her face, lower my mouth, and give her one last kiss before I walk out her door.

ChapterTwenty-Five

Noah

ONE WEEK LATER

With my arms full of photos from last weekend’s fundraiser, I walk into my parents’ house for Sunday supper. I’m starting my new scrapbook tonight, and it’ll hopefully take my mind off Fisher for a few hours.

When I told him I loved him and he walked out the door, I was furious. And heartbroken. But mostly sad he didn’t say the words back.

Even though I expected things to end, it still stung when he said I deserved better than him and brought up our age difference.

I can’t even be mad at him for wanting to do the right thing, but I’m angry with myself for falling for him. As soon as I figured out who he was, I should’ve kept my distance. At the very least, when I knew Fisher was trying to mend their relationship, I shouldn’t have pushed him to be more than friends.

Now we’re both suffering.

Selfishly, I wanted one more night with him. No outside noise, no rational reasons we couldn’t be together, just us making love.

It was even better than our first time, which is saying something because that night, he said dirty filthy things to me that had me losing my damn mind. But it was better because my heart was his this time. The emotions swirling through me were intense, and it meant more being with him that way.

Now, it’d only be a long-lost memory.

Before he left and I told him how I wished I could hate him, I almost did when he walked out the door. I know he only said those things because I told him to, but he sounded like he truly meant them and that hurt even more.

“Hey, sweetie!” Momma greets me in the hallway with her apron still wrapped around her waist. “You’re early.”

“I wanted to get here before the chaos.” I smile weakly.

I wanted the distraction.

“The photographer sent me some of the files. Magnolia and Ellie also sent me some they took, so I got a good chunk printed and ready for my book,” I explain as she leads me to the kitchen.

“That’s great, honey. Can’t wait to see them.”

“Hey, Gramma.” I set my stuff down and give her a side hug as she stirs white gravy on the stovetop. “Smells delicious.”

Before I walk away, she nudges me. “That man of yours couldn’t keep his eyes off ya last time he was here. Betta make sure y’all ain’t so obvious this time.”

Her voice is low, but I swear I hear her wrong.

I lean in closer. “What? Who’re ya talkin’ about?”

She looks around and pointedly stares at Momma before bringing her focus back to the pan in front of her. “Honey, I’d never seen a man look at a woman the way Fisher looks at you. I may be old, but I ain’t blind.”

My lips go dry as I comprehend what she’s implying.

“How does he look at me?” I whisper.