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This was it. Her heart was threatening to beat right out of her chest and her palms were cold and clammy, but there was no way she could stop now. Caden deserved to know the truth. “Your brother didn’t kill that guy.”
***
Caden closed his eyes, his body practically vibrating as his arms tightened around Hallie. He’d heard the words, but they were barely registering over the steady pounding of his heart echoing in his ears. He couldn’t have heard her right.
“Caden?” Her hand cupped his cheek and he leaned into her touch, letting it ground him as he searched for the sound of her voice. “In my glimpse, I saw the hand that pulled the trigger. I saw the big ring. They struggled for the gun, but it was definitely your cousin who pulled the trigger. Not Ethan. Ethan fought him for the gun, but it went off in your cousin’s hand.” Tears streamed down her face. “I’m sorry I couldn’t help back then. I had no idea at the time who or what I was seeing. My glimpse only showed me their hands, not even their faces or where they were. I should’ve told you sooner. I’m so sorry.”
He opened his eyes and his gaze locked on hers. Tears fell from her emerald green eyes, and suddenly her words sank in. “Ethan didn’t kill anyone?” He barely recognized his own voice. It almost sounded like a question. He wanted to believe it. He trusted Hallie. And despite what the reports said, Caden knew his brother. Ethan was not a killer. “He didn’t kill anyone,” his voice came out stronger this time - more assured - even as his tears turned to laughter and then back to tears.
Hallie shook her head and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tight. “No, he didn’t. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you right away. I didn’t think it was right to tell you over the phone or in a stupid text message, but I was honestly so afraid that you would -”
“Don’t ever be afraid of me, Hales.” He pulled her back, needing her to see his face, to look into her beautiful green eyes when he said the words. “I don’t care how soon or how late or when or what. You never have to be afraid of me. From here on out, it’s you and me. Always. Anytime you want to talk, I will listen. And I swear to you, I’ll do everything in my power to make it better.”
She drew in a ragged breath, and it was then he saw how much this had cost her. He knew she’d been nervous, but it was only now that he realized how scared she’d been to open up to him about her life, and about his brother. He took her hand in his and pressed it to his chest, just over his heart. “Never be afraid of me. I’ll never hurt you. Never betray you.”
She swiped at a tear on her cheek. “Is there anything you can do now about your cousin? I mean, is he in prison or -”
Caden shook his head, hating that he’d made her cry. “He got paroled a few years ago and unfortunately double jeopardy would be in play. There’s nothing I can do about him now. But knowing that Ethan didn’t pull the trigger - that he didn’t take a life - that he fought Tyler for the gun - that makes more of a difference to me than you’ll ever know. I - thank you,” Caden said, his voice cracking, his breath hitching. “I knew he didn’t do it. I just knew… And you - God, Hales, you’ve changed my life in so many ways. In the best possible ways. I swear the sun shone a little brighter the first day I walked into your store, and I’m going to spend every day of my life doing everything I can to make your life as amazing and as carefree as possible. I love you so much, Hallie Owens.”
“I love you, Caden Dobbs.”
His mouth crashed into hers, kissing her with all the hunger of a starved man and she kissed him back with equal passion. They were both slightly breathless when she pulled back, and her gaze crashed back into his as if she was searching for something. “Are you mad?”
“Mad?” He asked, still trying to get his heart rate under control.
“That I didn’t tell you right away. That I couldn’t help sooner.”
“No, Hales. If anything, I’m grateful. You could’ve kept this all to yourself and I would’ve been none the wiser. Ethan is gone. Tyler is a free man. And the rest is history. Everyone’s moved on.”
“Everyone except you.”
He nodded. “I couldn’t let it go. I couldn’t believe that my brother was capable of killing someone.”
“He wasn’t. He didn’t.”
“I know that now. Thanks to you. I don’t even know if there’s anyone I can tell without revealing your ability, but it doesn’t matter. I can’t thank you enough for trusting me with this. And with what you told me about your parents and your past - I can’t imagine the hell you went through.”
She shrugged. “I probably made it sound worse than it was. I mean, it wasn’t all bad.”
“It was bad enough, Hales.” Caden let out a ragged breath. With every word she’d said, he felt himself tensing, his arms tightening around her, needing her to know she was safe. That he would stand between her and the rest of the world, no matter who or what tried to hurt her. Even if it was her well-meaning parents.
But he never expected all of that to lead up to this. His brother was innocent. Maybe not in the eyes of the law, but he hadn’t pulled the trigger. He’d tried to save that liquor store owner’s life. And knowing that meant the world to Caden.
He leaned in to kiss her forehead and stroked her cheek tenderly before letting his hand drop. “We should finish our dinner before it gets too cold because I’m not entirely sure if the oven works, and the microwave I ordered online hasn’t been delivered yet.”
“Cold veggie lasagna is my favorite,” Hallie said with a completely straight face. And Caden fell in love with her all over again.
Chapter 26
After finishing their dinner, Caden gave Hallie a tour of the house. He’d intentionally left the LED candles and rose petals in his closet until after the tour, so his room and the guest room looked pretty much the same as they did at his apartment.
The previous owner had torn up one of the bathrooms, but the other one was in perfect working order, even if the colors and style of it was not to his liking. He also wasn’t a fan of the older carpeting in the bedrooms, but all of those things would go on his list of remodeling jobs to accomplish in the near future. He’d put all the boxes he hadn’t unpacked yet in the garage, and donated anything he didn’t need anymore, so this place really did feel like a clean slate, and he loved that.
Right after the tour, Caden left Hallie on the couch with the television remote while he excused himself and snuck into his room to set up the LED candles he’d gotten, and scatter the red rose petals on his bed. He would never do anything she didn’t want, but just in case tonight went where he was hoping, he wanted to make it special, just as he’d promised.
Now he was back on the couch, with Hallie in his lap again, her head resting on his shoulder as he held her close. There was a game on, but Caden honestly had no idea who was playing or what the score was. He couldn’t take his eyes off her long enough to care about anything else.
“I know this place needs a little work, but I’m so glad you bought it,” Hallie said, a dreamy look in her eyes.
