Page 72 of A Prescription to My Heart

I sit on the couch, curling my knees to my chest. The leather is cold against my skin, unfamiliar after the warmth of his guest bed, the scratchy feel of his flannel sheets, the low rasp of his voice when he spoke my name.

No.

This was the right thing to do. I had to pull away before it got worse. Before I started believing that any of this could happen. That he could be mine.

I press the heels of my hands into my eyes and force the thought down.

Soren has Marigold. He has a life—one that’s already bruised and rebuilt. I was only ever a placeholder. A lie wrapped in soft truths. And if I don’t walk away now, I’ll start wanting more.

You already do,my traitorous thoughts think.

The memory of his kiss still lingers—low in my belly, sharp in my chest. The way his hand gripped my waist, the possessive tilt of his mouth, the stunned silence after we broke apart. Like neither of us knew what had just happened.

I haven’t stopped thinking about it. But none of that matters now. I’m back in my space. My rules. My control. I’ve spent too many years building walls to let someone like him break them down.

I tell myself this is for the best. I repeat it until the words lose meaning. And yet, when my phone buzzes with a message—Soren—my heart lurches.

“Just checking if you made it home okay. Marigold says the house feels too quiet without you.”

I stare at the screen. Type. Delete. Type again.

“I’m fine. Thanks for checking.” Simple. Distant.

Safe.

The reply comes seconds later. “Okay. Goodnight, Talia.”

I set the phone facedown and curl deeper into the couch. Outside, the rain keeps falling. Inside, I whisper the truth I won’t admit to anyone—not even myself.

I miss him.

***

I never meant to get this attached. Never planned on falling for Soren Calloway. But here I am, sitting in my quiet house, overwhelmed with feelings I’m struggling to control. Soren’s kiss from the Gala still burns on my lips. It’s a constant reminder of how far I’ve let myself fall, and how dangerous this all is.

When I decided to move out, back to my own space, I thought it would be easier. I thought I could distance myself from everything—from him, from Marigold, from all of it. But now, if anything, it’s harder than before. I can’t get rid of the picture of their faces. Of his smile. Of the way Marigold looks at me with that trust in her eyes.

I don’t know if I can do this.

The doorbell rings, cutting through my thoughts. I hear excited chatter at the front door. Familiar voice. Marigold.

I take a deep breath, forcing myself to push away the tangled mess of emotions. I stand up quickly, smoothing down the fabric of my blouse, trying to act normal, even if nothing inside me feels like it.

When I open the door, she’s standing there, her little eyes wide, face lit up with excitement. "Talia!" she exclaims, her arms wide, ready for a hug.

I smile, a soft, genuine smile. “Hey, Goldie. Look who came to visit little old me.” I crouch to her eye level extending my arms out for a long hug that instantly heals my soul.

Marigold wraps her tiny arms around my neck, and I hold her for a moment longer than I should. When I finally pull back, her bright smile fades into a moment of hesitation, and she looks at me curiously.

“Talia... are you okay?”

Her question hits me like a freight train. I freeze, caught off guard by her perceptiveness. I’m about to answer when I hear Soren’s voice from behind her.

“I…was hoping you might watch her. The nanny fell through.” His voice is warm, but laced with an underlying concern that pulls me out of the haze I’d been sinking into. I look up to see him walking up to the doorway, eyes flicking between me and Marigold.

Marigold, oblivious to the tension in the air, nods enthusiastically. “Yes, please! I get to stay with Talia today!”

Soren smiles faintly, but I see the hint of concern still lingering on his face.

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