Page 103 of The Hotel Room

And Kate…

His pen hesitated, the words catching in his throat even as he tried to push them onto the page.

Kate is everything.

She’s my best friend, my partner, the woman I’ve loved since I was barely old enough to understand what love was. She gave me everything—her trust, her heart, her body. She built this life with me. And I betrayed her. I destroyed something sacred, something I thought would last forever.

And the worst part? She still lets me be here. She still lets me touch her, hold her, be a part of her life. I don’t deserve any of it. But I want to. God, I want to be the man she deserves so badly.

James stopped, dragging a hand over his face. His chest felt tight, his throat aching with the weight of the emotions he couldn’t quite put into words.

He thought about the way Kate had touched his hand earlier that evening, the way she had looked at him with something softer than anger. Not forgiveness, but something that felt like a step closer to it.

He thought about the baby, about the life they were bringing into the world together.

And he thought about his own promise—the vow he’d made to himself and to her. That he would spend every day proving himself worthy.

He pressed the pen to the paper again.

I’m not giving up.

She deserves to be loved in the way I should have loved her all along.

The words blurred slightly as his eyes stung, the tears he hadn’t realized he was holding back threatening to spill over.

He closed the journal carefully, his hands trembling as he set it aside.

For a moment, he just sat there, the silence of the house wrapping around him like a heavy blanket.

Then he rose, exhaling shakily as he made his way upstairs.

Kate was already asleep when he stepped into the bedroom, her breathing soft and even. He stood in the doorway for a long moment, just watching her, his chest aching with love and regret in equal measure.

Finally, he slipped into bed beside her, careful not to disturb her, and closed his eyes.

Tomorrow would be another chance. Another step forward.

And he would take it.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Kate

The late afternoon sunlight streamed through the kitchen window, casting a soft golden glow across the countertops. The house felt quieter today—not tense, just...gentle.

Kate stood at the sink, rinsing dishes from the kids' after-school snacks while the sound of Lily’s voice carried from the living room.

“Mom! Look at my drawing!”

Kate turned just in time to see Lily bounding in, holding a sheet of paper so large it nearly covered her face. The crayon sketch was of the whole family—simple figures holding hands, with the new baby drawn in a tiny bubble inside her belly.

Kate’s breath caught.

“Oh, sweetie.” She knelt down, brushing a strand of Lily’s hair back as she examined the drawing more closely. “This is beautiful. Is this...the baby?”

Lily nodded eagerly, beaming.

“Yup! I gave the baby curly hair like mine. And I made Daddy taller than you. But only alittletaller.”

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