Page 75 of A Prescription to My Heart

I swallow, fighting to keep my emotions steady. “Idoknow you, Talia. I reach for her hand, holding it gently in mine, and she doesn’t pull away. That’s something. “I’m not saying this because I want to make things complicated. I’m saying this because it’s the truth. I knew I loved you the first time I saw you. The first time I really saw you.”

She looks at me, her eyes wide, as though she’s trying to process the words I’m saying. I stroke the back of her hand with my thumb, letting myself be vulnerable. Completely. “I don’t think you realize it, but from the moment I walked into my house and saw you sitting there with Marigold, I saw everything I didn’t know I needed. You were so strong, so capable. You didn’t even have to try. And in that moment, something clicked inside me. I knew I was already half in love with you.”

Her breath catches at my words, her eyes filling with something like disbelief, but there’s also a flicker of hope there.

“I know I didn’t realize it right away,” I continue, my voice quieter now, softer. “But I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. The way you are with Marigold... the way you stood up for her—for me... I’ve never seen anything more beautiful.”

She pulls back slightly, but her hand stays in mine. She’s struggling, and I know she wants to believe me. I want her to. I don’t want to live in this fear anymore.

“Stop fighting it, Talia,” I whisper. “I don’t want to pretend. I don’t want to live in this false reality anymore. I love you, and I want us to be real. Together.”

I see the tears in her eyes, and I know this is hard for her. It’s hard for me too, but I can’t do this without her. I can’t let her go. I’ve already lost my heart to her, and if she’s willing to accept it, I want to give her everything.

She opens her mouth to speak, but this time, I don’t let her. I take her face in my hands, gently lifting her gaze to meet mine. “I don’t want to rush you, Talia. I just want you to know how I feel.”

She blinks, and for a second, I think she’s going to cry. But then something shifts in her eyes. She doesn’t say anything, but I see it—the change. She’s letting herself feel it. Letting herself believe me.

“I don’t know,” she whispers, the words fragile and vulnerable. “I don’t know if I’m ready.”

“You don’t have to be ready,” I reply, my voice steady. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. Okay?”

She nods, her lips trembling as she holds my gaze, her heart open, vulnerable.

“I love you,” I say again, this time more quietly, more fiercely. I want her to know. I need her to know that there’s no doubt in my heart.

Her eyes search mine, and I see the walls starting to come down. And for the first time, I feel like we’re truly standing together, facing whatever comes next—not as strangers, or coworkers. Not as two people pretending—but as two people ready to build something real.

I kiss her hand softly, not wanting to let go. Not now. Not ever.

She shakes her head, looking away. “You don’t get it, Soren. You’re the kind of man I imagined for myself. The loyal, fierce lover but I’m afraid that it’s a facade. That I’m seeing just what I want to see. I wanted a love like my parents had. A love that’s fierce, that lasts through everything, that chooses each other even when it’s hard. And I don’t know if we’re both capable of that kind of love.”

Her words pierce through me. I feel the sting, but I understand. She wants a love that lasts, a love that’s true, not something that’s built on pretense or an arrangement. I know she wants to believe in something real, in something that won’t fade when the going gets tough. I get it. I’ve been closed off, unsure, and I’ve never really shown her that I’m capable of the kind of love she’s looking for.

“Do you think I don’t want that too?” I ask, my voice thick with emotion. “Do you think I don’t want to be the kind of man who loves you like that? The kind of man who chooses you, every single day, no matter what? I do. I want to be that man, Talia. I want to love you like that. And I’m sorry for not showing you that sooner.”

She looks at me then, her eyes wide, her lips trembling, and I can see the tears threatening to spill over. I want to hold her, but I know she needs to hear me say how real this is.

“I know I’ve been scared, and that I’ve kept myself locked away, and I don’t blame you for thinking this isn’t real. But I’m done with pretending. I love you. And I’m not going to walk away. Not now. Not ever. We’ll take it one step at a time. But I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Her breath catches, and she looks up at me, her eyes wide, searching mine for the truth. I’m not going to back down. I’m not going to let her go. I’m not going to give up on us.

I reach for her cheek. “Let me show you, Talia. Let me show you how real this is. How much I love you.”

And then, for the second time, I lean in. I kiss her not just with passion, but with everything I’ve been holding back—the love, the longing, the hope. I kiss her like I’ve never kissed anyone before, like this is the moment I’ve been waiting for.

When our lips meet, it’s like coming home. It’s a promise. It’s the beginning of something beautiful.

When we finally break apart, I see the truth and certainty that’s been building between us in her eyes. She’s not scared anymore. She’s not running away. She’s here. With me. And I’m not going to let her go.

“I love you too,” Talia finally says with a soft sigh, and the tightness in my chest uncurls. “Oh, Soren. I love you so much that it feels like my heart might explode. I love you.”

I take her face mine, kissing her forehead in wonder.

I’m home.

***

The next morning, we wake together in bed to the sound of Marigold’s voice, calling us from the living room, her excitement spilling out in every word.

---