Page 16 of Wade

"Trying to apologize."

"You are doing a poor job of it."

"I have not started." She slapped her hands on his chest. "I am sorry."

"I am tired."

"Of me?"

"Of the fights, the accusations, tired of trying to prove myself."

"Are you saying you want out?" she demanded.

His eyes flared. "Precisely what I am getting at. Let me pass."

"I went to the - the place where I grew up!" she blurted out.

He went still at that. "What?"

She curled her fingers into his chest. "I did not tell you because I knew what you would have said to me."

"I would have told you that it was not a good idea."

"Exactly." She stepped closer. "I had to go-" She shook her head as he opened his mouth. "I wanted to go. I made this decision to get pregnant and I just wanted to know if I am strong enough to go through with it. That the memories were fading."

"And?"

"They were not. The place I knew was no longer." She smiled slightly. "It was a happy place. With all new furnishings and a pretty porch and a white picket fence. The scent of baking hits you as soon as you turn up the driveway. The woman was nice and she invited me in."

"Why the hell would you go back there?" he demanded. "And when I called, you were upset."

"Yes," she admitted. "I was in the room I shared with David. They left the initials we carved into the wall."

His eyes flared. "I offered to buy the damn place."

"What?" She stared at him in shock. "When?"

"Six months ago. I was going to purchase it and raze it to the damn ground."

"Why?" she asked, even though she knew the answer.

"It was a place of pain and horror for you. I wanted it gone."

"They would not sell. Did they know it was you?"

He shook his head. "I went through a subsidiary of the company and they refused the offer, even though we offered them twice what the place was worth."

His hands came up to grip her arms. "I went there myself, because I was going to offer more money and that was when I saw what you did. Children playing outside and flowers blooming. I decided to leave them be."

Her throat hitched and burned. "You did that for me."

"It appears that there is nothing I would not do for you, as you have probably figured out by now."

"I am sorry." The tears were flowing down her cheeks. "Wade, I am so sorry. " She clutched at him and his arms came around to hold her close. "It's hard for me to know that you love me so much."

"Why?" He shook her a little. "Haven't I proven it to you repeatedly?"

"And still, it seems surreal. I love you."

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