Page 29 of Waiting for You (Balsam Cliffs #3)

Laying in bed tangled with Evelyn is the perfect ending to the night. She was more attentive to me tonight than anyone has been in my whole life.

Telling her about Hernandez wasn’t something I was prepared for. But Mom brought it up and I don’t want to hide anything from her anymore. So I ruined the night. Both of us tried to put on a happy face, but I know that she was worried about me. Something I tried to avoid all those years ago.

“I love you so much, Peach.” I nuzzle into her neck, inhaling her sweet floral scent fresh from the shower. “Thank you for being so understanding tonight.”

“I feel like I didn’t do anything, definitely not near enough. I had no idea you were struggling, Hunter.”

“I didn’t want you to know. That’s why I… left you.” I swallow hard, not wanting to bring it up again.

“I get it now. I do. I don’t like it, but I get it.” She wraps her legs and arms around me, pulling us close. “I want to be here for you, to support you, but I don’t know what that looks like. I don’t know what you need and I feel selfish that I’ve made this whole thing about me.”

I kiss the tip of her nose. “No. You haven’t.

I made the choice to enlist, I made the choice to write the letter, I made the choice to take the coward’s way out.

It sucked going through what I did. It still sucks, but you didn’t have to endure it and that was my goal the whole time.

Now, I’ve got you back right where you belong with me. ”

“Promise you’ll tell me what you need from now on? I don’t want you struggling on your own.”

“Honestly, I’m mostly okay. Except when I have to fillet the wounds open and relive it all like I did tonight. I am glad you know now though. I’d love for you to meet Rosalyn and baby Jayme.”

She cups my cheek, resting her head on my pillow. “I'd love to meet them.”

Smiling, I pull her into me, needing to bury myself in her to forget the memories.

“Hunter, we don’t have to do this tonight.”

“I need to, Peach. I need to forget the past and be reminded of my future.”

She caves and gives me what I need. Straddling me, I know that I’m going to end the night with only the good memories.