Page 87 of Saving Ren

I fight not to drown in the ocean of his blue eyes as tears burn at my own.

“How are you still single?” I ask around the lump in my throat.

“Because I’ve been waiting for you.”

That might just be the most beautiful thing anyone has ever said to me. He’s truly just made my day - my life even.

“You’re too much, you know that, right? Too gorgeous, too perfect, too. . .”

He cuts me off with a shake of his head.

“I think we established last night that I’m not perfect, Ren. Like I said, there will be times I fuck this up, but always try and remember that I’mnot him. I know this is hard for you, but what you've come to accept as normal really isn’t. It’s going to take time, I get that, but please, have a little faith in me. I want this to work. I’veneverwanted that, didn’t think it was something I needed in my life, and then there was you, and now I feel the way I do, and I want you in my life. I don't know what else to say, how to explain myself better.”

“You don’t have to. I get what you’re saying,” I tell him.

“Do you? Because I can’t even begin to imagine what’s going on in your head right now, but just know this, while you’re sorting through the shit you’ve got to sort through, I’ll be right here. I’ve got you, Lauren. You don’t have to deal with any of that shit on your own.”

He leans in and kisses my nose again.

“Now go use the bathroom. I’m gonna go sort us out some breakfast.”

Chapter 25

Gabe

When I head backinto the kitchen after breakfast and a shower, Lauren isn’t on her stool at the bench where I left her adding numbers and setting up her new phone.

After checking out on the deck and not finding her, my gut tightens as I begin to wonder if she’s left, and my eyes dart to the dining table and benchtop for a note.

“Gabe, can you come down here,” she calls from downstairs, and I move my bottom jaw from side to side to loosen it before I start moving.

I find her in the doorway of Ava’s bedroom leaning against the frame.

“What are you doing?” I ask, coming to a stop beside her.

“I wasn’t being nosey; I brought some towels down to do some washing, and the door was open.”

I move to stand and wrap my arms around her waist from behind. Pulling her against me, I rest my chin on her shoulder.

“Ren, you live here, you can open any door you like. This one is usually closed because I can’t stand to look at the mess she leaves it in most of the time.”

She doesn’t respond to my comment but turns her head to look at me after a few seconds of silence.

“How long have you lived here?”

“Just under a year.”

“And how old’s Ava?”

“Twelve, she’ll turn thirteen in September.”

“Did you let her decorate this room?” She turns back to take in the space, and I cast my own eyes over it. Her walls are painted in the standard builders white the rest of the downstairs of the house is painted. Three sliding doors cover the built-in robe along one wall, a pink, metal framed single bed sits against the other, a bedside table with a lamp on it beside the bed. There are a couple of posters on the wall, a pile of clothes on the bed, shoes scattered under it.

It’s a big room, and as I stand here and take in what I imagine Lauren is seeing, I realise it’s a bit lacking.

“I just sent Dani out shopping for girlie stuff and told Ava she could do what she likes with the walls, but, as you can see. . .” I shrug and trail off.

“Dani?” She questions.