AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m so sorry I hurt you, Magnolia Cade Bryant, and I love you. Like the love-of-my-life love and for infinity.”
Tears burn my eyes like the fire in my chest at his body and face so close to mine. I turn away, the horizon giving me breath. Giving me a moment.
“Say more.” Because it’s not enough.
“I’ll never be able to say it enough.” He can read my soul. “But I can tell you what I’ve kinda figured out.”
Silence protects my heart.
“Last time.” His toes wedge in the sand beside mine. “I got sober for everyone else. That’s been my life. It’s been for everyone else. From my drunk dad, who made me the man of the house at eight. To my mom, who I smiled at every camera for. To my little sister, I had to protect.”
He’s quiet, his next words strained. “To the best friend, I fell in love with. To the guy, others assaulted. I don’t regret it, but who else was I? I didn’t know. I got sober for everyone else I loved but didn’t love myself yet.”
I chew my lip, hearing every truth I’ve known about him all this time. It’s not too different than my own.
“But this time, I got sober for myself.” His foot wedges closer to mine. “Last time, I didn’t want to die. This time, I want to live. I want to live for me, for the man it’s taken me a year to know and love.”
He mirrors me, wrapping his arms around his knees bent in front of him and turning his gaze my way.
“And that man is very fucking humbled and sorry that he hurt you. And I know you saved my life. And you don’t owe me anything else, but please just let me thank you for that.”
It’s in his voice. He has changed.
Redix was never one for words, not ones that talked about himself, about how he felt. He was always too focused on me, on everyone else, on being what we all needed.
Only in tender moments between us, when no one else was around, when his body was touching mine, did he say what he felt.
When we were kids, it was how happy he felt. When we were teens, it was the desire we felt. As adults, he’s finally saying what I’ve seen in his eyes all along.
He sounds like his journal, like he knows his truth, and he’s not afraid to share it. In fact, he’s made peace with it.
I can feel it in his body, relaxed next to mine. Like the connection we’ve always had, I feel it fill mine too.
I level my eyes at him. “Tell me about this man you’ve learned to love.”
His smile melts my frozen edges. “He likes playing guitar and surfing. He likes writing in his journal and helping kids in crisis, like he was.” It warms my soul. “He likes playing Uno and burning pizzas. He likes making ceramic dildos.” A chuckle lightens my heart. “And he’s really in love with this woman who likes candy but loves him even more. And he’s so fucking sorry, and he really misses her.”
I do it first. My hand slides across his scruffy cheek, seizing his silky strands and pulling his lips to mine.
He matches me. He always has. Perfectly. His big hand cups my wet cheek, his kiss seeking mine and…
It’s not in me, with his lips taking mine, so soft, so sexy—I can’t find it. I have no anger. No jealousy. No betrayal. We’ve been through too much.
Redix protected me. He almost died for me. He swapped my pain for his, and I held him in my arms with his life barely hanging on.
Only a fool would stay angry when life is this precious, when love is this great.
“I forgive you.” I slide my lips over his, not wanting to lose his touch. “I was never mad at you.”
His nose nuzzles mine. “You should be.”
“Since when do I do what I should?”
“I mean it. What I said.”
“Which part?”
“All of it.” His eyes anchor to mine. “From the depths of my soul, Cade, I swear it. I’m so sorry.”
