Page 103 of Shattered Mind

And I’ve waited long enough.

“I’m in love with you, Blue.” I take another step, “I’ve been in love with you since the day you kissed me on your front porch. I just didn’t know it at the time, but now, I’ve never been so certain about anything in my life.”

Her eyes flick around the room as if she’s searching for the joke, but I take the final step towards her, bringing us face to face. “I love you, Liv. I love you in ways I never thought I could love anyone. The moment you touched me I finally knew what peace felt like after years of suffering. I’ve spent so long hiding in the shadows, but the second your eyes landed on mine forthe first time, you saw me. You pulled me out of the hole I had been drowning in for years without even realising you were doing it.”

Her eyes shine with unshed tears and sniffles sound around the room but I forge on. “And when you needed me the most, I ran. I ran because I was afraid. I thought I was going to lose you, and I knew thatyouwould be a loss I could never survive. I’m sorry it took me so long to realise that I was subjecting the both of us to unnecessary pain because of a fear of something that might never happen.”

“You were right, Liv. I am a coward. And it wasn’t until I thought you were gone for good that I finally realised it.” Tears fall freely down her face unchecked, and I raise a hand, cupping her cheek as I swipe at the tears with my thumb. “I am yours. Even though you hate me, I’m yours, Blue. And you, are mine.”

Her eyes flit back and forth between mine and I wait with bated breath for her to say something, anything.

A beat passes before she nods. “You’re right. I do. I fucking hate you,” she says but her words hold no meaning.

“I know, baby.” I whisper with a nod.

“I hate you for abandoning me. I hate that you ran from me instead of to me. I hate that you wasted so much time trying to convince yourself that we were better off apart. You broke my fucking heart, Grayson,” her chest heaves as her eyes turn fierce and she stares into my soul, “so yeah, I do hate you.” Her chin trembles and her voice shakes as she leans into my touch. “But I love you more.”

I don’t wait a second before pulling her face towards mine and crushing my lips against hers. She reaches up, wrapping her arms around my neck as she parts her lips, and my tongue meets hers in a frenzy.

People whistle, some cheer but they all fade to background noise as my world shifts and everything falls into place.

Peace.

It’s all I feel as I kiss the love of my life in the middle of the family room of my parent’s house with the knowledge that she loves me back.

After everything I’ve done in the past few months. All the time I wasted stuck inside my own head, allowing my demons to control my life. Despite it all, she loves me anyway.

And as long as there is air in my lungs, and blood running through my veins, I will do everything in my power to be a man worthy of her love.

***

I watch through the window as Liv stands next to Savannah rocking my nephew back and forth in her arms with a look of pure admiration on her face.

After declaring my love in front of every single member of my family, I’ve barely had a moment to catch my breath. To say my mom is happy for me would be an understatement. I don’t think she’s stopped crying tears of joy since it happened.

It just solidifies the fact that I’ve been a complete asshole for far too long. I never gave much thought to how my actions would affect my family, but from their reactions today, I realise that all they’ve ever wanted is for me to be happy.

And as I watch the woman I’ve fallen in love with, smile down at the baby in her arms, I imagine what life could look like for us in the future. I imagine her standing there with my ring on her finger as she rocks our baby to sleep with the same glowing love on her face and all I feel is happiness. I don’t feel the usual fear as I picture my future. My chest doesn’t seize up at the prospect of forever.

The door opens as Hunter steps out and comes to join me on the porch, holding a beer out towards me. I take the bottle from him. “Thanks.”

He gives me a nod, leaning back against the railing and taking a drink from his own bottle as his gaze settles on the two women inside.

“Remember the day I proposed to Savannah?” Hunter’s voice penetrates the silence.

“Yeah,” I say, turning to look at him.

“I told you that you’d find that same happiness someday,” he pauses as his eyes meet mine.

“You did.”

“The moment the words left my mouth your eyes found her,” he nods towards Liv.

“You always knew she was it for you, didn’t you?” he asks.

I take a drink from my beer before responding, “I always knew that if anyone could break past my defences, it’d be her.”

Hunter nods thoughtfully. “Think you’ll marry her?”

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