Page 123 of Truck Hard

“You have no idea how good those words sound,” he murmurs, voice rough with emotion.

I cup his face in my hands, needing him to understand the depth of what I’m feeling. “I love you so much, Liam. I always have, even when I tried to convince myself I didn’t. Even when I was too scared to admit it.”

“I love you too, Hannah.” He presses his forehead to mine again. “God, I love you. We’re going to build an amazing life together—everything you’ve dreamed of and more. I promise.”

Our lips meet again, softer this time but no less passionate. His kisses taste like promises and hope, like all the possibilities stretching out before us. My heart feels so full it might burst.

The sound of a car door slamming in the distance reminds me that the world is waking up around us. Soon Cam will need to get ready for school, and Liam will have to head to the shop. Butfor now, I let myself linger in this perfect moment, memorizing every detail.

The rough bark at my back. The warmth of Liam’s hands on my waist. The way the rising sun paints everything in shades of gold. The taste of coffee and love on my lips. The feeling of absolute rightness settling in my bones.

This is what healing feels like. Not the absence of scars, but the presence of hope. Not forgetting the past, but believing in the future. Not being magically “fixed,” but choosing to move forward anyway.

The breeze picks up, making me shiver slightly in my thin robe. Liam immediately pulls me closer, rubbing his hands up and down my arms.

“We should head inside,” he says reluctantly. “You’re cold.”

I nod but make no move to leave his embrace. “Just a few more minutes?”

His smile is tender as he kisses my forehead. “Whatever you need, sweetheart. Always.”

We stand together in comfortable silence, watching the sun rise over the misty field. His heartbeat is steady under my cheek, a rhythm I want to fall asleep and wake up to for the rest of my life.

“What time is Cam’s baseball practice today?” Liam asks after a while.

“Four-thirty.” I smile at his obvious attempt to make plans to be there. “You don’t have to come to every practice, you know.”

“I want to.” His voice is firm. “I’ve missed so much already. I don’t want to miss anything else.”

My heart squeezes at the hint of regret in his tone. “That wasn’t your fault. You didn’t know.”

“Still.” His arms tighten around me. “I’m here now, and I want to be involved in everything. The good stuff and the hard stuff.”

“I know you do.” I lift my head to look at him. “And I love you for it. But you don’t have to make up for lost time all at once. We have the rest of our lives ahead of us.”

His eyes light up at that. “The rest of our lives, huh?”

Heat floods my cheeks as I realize what I implied, but I don’t take it back. “Yeah. If… if that’s what you want.”

“Sweetheart, that’s all I’ve ever wanted.” He kisses me again, deep and thorough, until I’m clutching his shoulders just to stay upright. When he pulls back, his eyes are dark with promise. “And I plan to spend every day showing you exactly how much I want that future with you.”

A shiver that has nothing to do with the morning chill runs down my spine. “Is that so?”

“Mm-hmm.” His lips trail down my neck, making my breath catch. “Starting right now.”

“Liam.” I try to sound stern but it comes out more like a moan. “We have to get Cam up for school soon.”

“We have time.” His hands slide lower, untying my robe. “Let me love you, Hannah. Please?”

As if I could ever resist him when he asks like that. As if I would want to.

I pull his mouth back to mine in answer, pouring all my love and need into the kiss. His hands slip inside my robe, calloused palms skimming over my bare skin, making me gasp.

“God, you’re beautiful,” he murmurs against my lips. “So perfect. Love you so much.”

The sun continues to rise, painting the world in shades of gold and promise. But I’m lost in Liam’s touch, in the love shining in his eyes, in the future stretching out before us.

This is healing. This is hope. This is love.

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