by Shyla Colt
His face softens. “You’d do all that for me?”
“Yes. Please don’t leave me.”
“Noble, you left me.”
Tears distort my vision. “And it was the worst mistake of my life.”
He sighs. “I love you. You hurt me and broke my trust with your actions.”
I hiccup.
“I was going to come after you soon if you stayed away.”
“What?” His words floor me.
“I can’t quit you any more than you can me. I think we’re stuck with each other. Counseling is a necessity. Neither of us is at a hundred percent. Grief’s left its mark on us both, and with my job, we need to get a handle on it, so this doesn’t happen again. If we do this again, I want you all in. We put a label on it and make a home together. No more seeing how it goes.”
I move forward and grab his hands. “I want that with you.”
“Yeah?” His lips curve into a half smile.
“Absolutely.” I nod my head.
He releases a shaky breath. “So we’re doing this.”
“For better or worse. There’s no one else I’d rather be with.”
He pulls me into his arms. I weep as sweet relief rushes through me. Today I choose love and the unknown as I break the shackles of the chains the past had cuffed around my ankles and my heart for too long. Nothing worth having is easy, and I’m willing to fight for this man who showed me everything I could have in life.
“You know I’ll be punishing you for a long time for what you did, making me worry for a week about what was going to happen to us.” His husky voice does funny things to my belly.
“Promise?”
He chuckles. “I’ve created a monster.”
“You freed a caged bird who didn’t realize her home was a prison.”
“No more prisons, only a dwelling we create.” He kisses my forehead, and I’m home.
***
“How are you feeling about the move?” Doctor Jackson asks. The red-haired woman has a soothing, motherly quality about her that makes it easy for me to open up. Zeke and I have seen her as a couple, and I’ve continued with her one-on-one.
I lean back on the couch and tuck my legs under my body. “I’m excited. My mother is doing well, and I’m ready for a new chapter in my life. I’m starting a new job at the beginning of the next semester, and this feels like a part of positive change sweeping through my life.”
“I like hearing that. You sound a lot more sure than you were when you first started coming here.”
“I think being open, honest, and really exploring how I felt and why opened me up to possibilities I never saw as viable before.”
“It’s amazing how our perception can change with healing.”
“It was worth all the work that needed to go into it.” I’ve been coming to the good doctor for six months, and I’m not against monthly check-ins to keep my brain on track.
“Is there anything else you’d like to talk to me about before out time is up?”
“No, I’m feeling balanced and positive at the moment.”
“Good. Remember our relaxation activities if your nerves flare up. And remember, I’m a phone call away. You can leave a message anytime, and I’ll get back to you.”
“I will.”
“I guess I’ll see you next month then. I look forward to hearing about how you’re settling in.”
“Thank you, Dr. Jackson.” I stand and shake her hand as I exit her office and make my way out into the parking lot where Zeke is waiting.
“How did it go?”
“Really well. Did the movers get everything settled?”
“They did. It’s looking like a home. Roughing it while we waited for them to deliver the new couch and kitchen table wasn’t my idea of fun.”
I laugh. “No more dinner on the floor for us. Are we still stopping on the way home to pick up the party trays?” I ask as he weaves his way through traffic.
“Yep, the store said they’d be ready by now.”
“I’m excited to get everyone into our space for a housewarming party.”
“Aww. Are you happy to be domestic with me?” I tease.
“I am. We worked hard for this.” He reaches over and squeezes my knee.
I lean in and kiss his cheek. “We did.”
Excitement bubbles up inside of me. Since he owned his home, we’d opted to move into his space and redecorate to suit both our styles. The move was a labor of love. Today marks the first day with all the boxes unpacked and the new furniture inside. So, it’s the perfect time for a party with our closest family and friends. It’s the start of a new chapter to a story we both know will last us a lifetime.
The End
Author Bio
Shyla Colt is the sassy USA Today Bestselling author of the popular series Kings of Chaos and Dueling Devils M.C. This genre-hoppers stories feature three of her favorite things: strong females, pop culture, and alternate routes to happy ever after. Listening to her Romani soul, she pens from the heart, allowing the dynamic characters, eccentric interests, and travels as a former flight attendant to take her down untraveled roads.
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, this mid-west girl is proud of her roots. She used her hometown and the surrounding areas as a backdrop for a number of books. So, if you’re a Buckeye, keep an eye out for familiar places.
As a full-time writer, stay at home mother, and wife, there's never a dull moment in her household.
She weaves her tales in spare moments and the evenings with a cup of coffee or tea at her side and the characters in her head for company.
You can interact with Shyla Colt online via her website
www.shylacolt.net
