Page 81 of Fourteen of a Kind

“I’m not going to get better overnight. It’s going to take a lot of work, and with my PTSD?—”

“Stop, Graham. There’s nothing I can’t handle. I’ll be here for you. What happened to you was horrific, and along with Charlotte, I’ll help you get through it. I’m in love with you, Dr. Graham Malone.” I smiled.

He placed his hand on my cheek. “I’m in love with you too, Dr. Ella Kind. You are such a beautiful woman, inside and out. I saw it the moment I stopped you from getting that tuna fish sandwich.” A smile crossed his lips.

I laughed. He pulled me into him and held me tight.

“It feels so good to hold you,” he said.

He broke our embrace.

“I never would have asked for help if your dad and Uncle Christian didn’t knock some sense into me.”

“What?” I cocked my head. “They talked to you?”

“Yeah. They called it an intervention.”

“You’re a good man; they see it just like I do.”

He ran his thumb over my lips before softly kissing me.

“I think we should go upstairs.” I smiled.

“I think we should too.” He stood up and grabbed my hand.

Nathan

We sat around the bonfire. I looked at Christian and held out my fist.

“Good job, bro.”

“Good job to you, too.” He fist-bumped me.

“What are you two doing? Good job about what?” Conner asked.

“Yeah. What’s going on?” Jackson looked at us.

“I’m pretty sure we saved someone today.” I tipped the beer bottle to my lips.

“You save people every day. What the hell are you talking about?” Conner asked.

“Christian and I had a talk with Dr. Malone earlier.”

“Let’s just say we had an intervention.” Christian smiled.

“I saw him walk over here from my house,” Conner said. “You think he talked to Charlotte?”

“We recommended it,” I said.

“He’s battling PTSD,” Christian said.

“From what?” Jackson asked.

“We’re not really sure. Something about his father’s death. In time, Ella will tell us,” Christian spoke.

“So, you’re over the whole age difference?” Simon asked me.

“Yeah. You can’t control who you fall in love with.”

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