He turns to face me, brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
“I’ve been such an idiot,” he says quietly. “I never should’ve pushed you away like that.” He sighs, his voice heavy with regret. “After Molly died, I got so lost in my own head… I didn’t know how to deal with it. I know I hurt you, and I hate that I did.”
My heart aches for him.
“You were grieving, Ben. I can’t even begin to understand what that was like.”
He shakes his head. “I should’ve talked to you. I wanted to. So many times. I missed you like crazy, Ash.”
“I missed you too,” I say, emotion catching in my throat.
“I was already planning to come and see you tonight, to make things right. To say I’m sorry for being such a jerk–”
I cut him off. “You weren’t a jerk.”
His brow lifts. “Yeah, I was.” He exhales. “When that alert came through on my phone earlier… I’ve never been so scared. The thought of losing you, Ash... it was unbearable.”
“All I could think about was you,” I admit softly. “The way Eddie was acting… I didn’t know if I’d ever see you again.”
“I would’ve done anything to get to you, baby. Nash had to hold me back.”
“I’m so glad you were there.”
“Me too,” he whispers.
I let out a slow breath and drape my good arm over my face. “Maybe I was too friendly with him. I was just trying to be kind. He seemed so alone.”
Ben moves closer, propping himself up on one elbow. He gently moves my arm away and slips his fingers into mine. “None of what happened is on you. That wasn’t about anything you did. Eddie had his own issues.”
“Yeah… maybe.”
“Definitely,” he says.
We fall quiet, just watching each other in the dim light, the silence thick with unspoken questions.
“Are we okay?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. I want to believe it, but I need to hear him say it.
Ben gives me a soft smile. “We’re more than okay. I love you, Ash. So damn much. And I never want to be without you again.”
Relief washes over me and I can barely breathe.
“I love you too, Ben,” I whisper. “I’m the happiest I’ve ever been when I’m with you, and I never want to lose that.”
“I won’t let you,” he says, his voice steady and certain. “I’ll spend the rest of my life showing you just how much you mean to me.”
Before I can say a word, he leans in and presses a gentle kiss to my lips. It’s soft and tender and not going to lead anywhere, yet it says everything. I don’t need grand gestures or promises.I can feel how much he loves me in every look, every touch, and every kiss.
I just hope he knows I feel the same. I’ve been in love with him for weeks, even if our love has been messy and hard.
From the very beginning, we’ve had to fight for it. Taylor and Paisley always said that anything truly good is worth fighting for, and they were right. I couldn’t have predicted how hard the fight would be, or the toll it would take, but I’d go through every second of it again if it meant ending up with him.
We’re here. Together. Forever.
EPILOGUE
Ben
Six months later
