Page 83 of Before Dawn

I exhaled, running a hand over my jaw. “I just can’t afford to lose track of anything. Or fall behind.” The words were heavy, but there was more to it than that—more than I was ready to say. Not tonight. Not yet.

Her gaze softened, full of understanding. “I get it. But you know… it’s okay to slow down. You don’t want to burn out.”

Her quiet concern settled over me, unexpected yet grounding. I held her gaze. “You’re right,” I admitted, feeling the truth of it more than I expected.

She gave me a small smile. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable, I just…”

“You didn’t,” I reassured her, my voice steady. “But I needed to hear that. Thank you, Red.”

“You’re welcome.”

The rest of the drive passed in a comfortable silence, her presence filling the space in a way that soothed something in me. When we pulled up to Common at The Reserve, I wasted no time getting out and opening her door. She stepped out, cradling the flowers and pillow against her chest.

Her smile was warm, bright enough to pull me in. “Thank you again for today, Mikkel. The flowers are absolutely beautiful, and this pillow? It’s going right on my couch.”

I smirked. “The pleasure will always be mine.”

Her brow furrowed slightly. “Aren’t you tired from… everything?”

I shook my head. “I am, but I’ll be good.”

She studied me for a moment before nodding, her lips curling into a smile. “Goodnight, Mikkel.”

“Goodnight, Red.”

I watched her disappear into the lobby, waiting until my phone lit up with her message:I’m home. Thank you again for today.

Only then did I drive away.

The day had been perfect.

She was happy. And that was all that mattered.

I was hers, and I’d wait until she was ready to be mine.

Chapter Eighteen

Abigail-Ann

“Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.”

~ Franklin P. Jones

How could one man be so thoughtful?

My gaze drifted to the primroses on my counter, their soft petals a quiet reminder of how much he paid attention. He listened—not just to my words, but to the little things, the details I barely realized I’d shared. From the moment we met, he made me feel comfortable. Like what I had to say actually mattered.

I hugged the pillow he’d given me, warmth spreading through my chest. It wasn’t just the gift—it was the thought behind it. He made me feelsafe. Valued.

I’d been to Pier 39 in San Francisco countless times, always missing the sea lions, but he made sure I didn’t this time. And Nathan’s Famous was the perfect way to end the day. The hot dog was good, but what stayed with me was how happy he was just watching me enjoy myself.

“I told you that I’ll always remember everything about you. I pay attention to detail.”

“Numbers two and three on your bucket list.”

Joshua had been in my life for five years and still never got it. He’d shown up with lilies—the very flower I was allergic to—in a half-hearted attempt to win me back. He never even asked what I liked.

Mikkel, though? He’d known me for a fraction of that time and remembered my favorite flower after asking once. Joshua had laughed at my bucket list, dismissing it with a careless “Why bother?”

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