Page 85 of Some Saviors Can Break You

“Why?” She looked around, seeking a clue as to what he had planned, but all that was up here was a little rooftop garden. “What’s going on? What are you up to?”

“Come sit with me,” was all he said as he led her over to the edge of the roof and tilted his head up to look at the sky. “When I was a little boy, I used to be scared to go to sleep, I was afraid of nightmares. I used to get upset as soon as it got dark because I knew bedtime was coming. My mom tried everything to get me over this fear, she took me to doctors, and tried to get me to explain exactly what it was that was scary to me. In the end, she took me outside one night after it got dark, she put a picnic blanket on the grass, and we lay on our backs and stared up at the sky. She taught me all about the constellations and how they got their names, we did that every night for two weeks and then suddenly I realized that I wasn't afraid anymore.”

“That’s a sweet story.” She rested her head against his shoulder, and his arm came around her shoulders, holding her close. Sometimes she wished she had lovely stories about special moments like that with her family. Although she didn't, she was determined that her children would have enough memories to make up for the ones she didn't have.

“After that, anytime I felt scared I would open my curtains and look out at the stars. Over time I outgrew my fear of the dark like most kids do, but I never stopped loving the stars. There’s something so special about them, they’re beautiful and interesting, and one day I want to lie on a picnic blanket in my backyard with my kids and teach them everything their grandmother never got to share with them.” Taking her hand again, he led her off to the side where there was a picnic blanket spread out.

She gasped, and tears pricked her eyes. “This is the blanket isn’t it? You kept it.”

“I did.” Guiding her on to the blanket, they sat down and then stretched out, staring up at the wide, velvety blue expanse dotted with thousands of sparkling diamonds. “I brought you up here for a reason,” he explained as he stroked his hand up and down her arm. “I owe you one romantic gesture when I ask you to move in with me. So, Florence, I would love it if you would move in with me here as soon as the furniture arrives. Until then we can stay at the hotel, or your place, or move between the two. You up for living with me? I know I drive you crazy sometimes, and I can't promise you that I won't be cocky most days, but I really want to watch the stars with you before we go to bed at night, and wake up with you in my arms.”

“I would love to move in with you. And you didn't really have to make a big gesture like this, I already said yes.”

“I wanted to make a gesture, you deserve a gesture.” He turned his face and caught her lips, kissing her sweetly and tenderly, and somehow that was better than the hotter, passionate kisses of earlier when they’d been making love.

“Just for the record, I love all your sides. I love that you’re confident and cocky because if you weren't we wouldn’t be here together tonight. And I love even more that you’re this big, sweet, cuddly softie underneath because it makes me feel special.”

“You are special, princess, and I don’t want you to ever forget it.”

“I never felt special before you came along,” she admitted.

“I know, honey, but it was their loss not yours. Your mom and dad are the ones who missed out on having this amazing, sweet, compassionate, strong woman in their lives. But their loss is my gain, because I'm the one who got to be by your side when you finally figured out just how special you are, and that makes me feel special.”

“Are you trying to make me cry?” she sniffed.

“No, sweetheart, I just want you to know how much you mean to me and how proud I am of you for realizing that you deserve the world. And that’s what I'm going to give you, the world.”

“I don’t need the world, Eli. I just need you.” She lifted a hand to cup his cheek, his scruff tickling her palm as her fingers stroked his soft skin.

“You have me, Florence. You have me.”

Those were the most wonderful words anyone had ever said to her.

Chapter

Thirteen

February 21st

8:13 A.M.

“Fletcher can be kind of…” Florence trailed off.

“Don’t worry, babe, your brother will love me,” he assured her. She was nervous this morning, but he was sure they would have a great time meeting her brother. Fletcher Harris had been going to drive up to the city to spend the day with her, but Florence had decided last night that she was ready to go back to the town she’d grown up in. He was so proud of her, but he wished she could relax. “Really, babe, everyone loves me,” he teased, knowing he’d get a smile out of her.

She acquiesced as he’d known she would. “You and that cocky attitude of yours. But, really, Eli, Fletcher can be kind of grumpy until you get to know him. And he’s pretty protective of me because it was just the two of us when we were kids. So don’t be surprised if he doesn’t fall for that charm of yours.”

“You worry too much.” He reached over and took her hand, kissing it then setting it on his thigh as he drove. Today it wasjust the two of them, he hadn't wanted his driver to take them because he wanted to be alone with Florence. After they spent the morning with her brother and had lunch, they were driving back to the city to have dinner with Elliot and Susannah. Kind of a meet the families day.

“You're just realizing that?” she muttered. “Take the next left here, then it’s only another mile until we get to River’s End.”

“You haven't been back here at all since you left?”

“Not once. The day I graduated high school, I packed my things and left. Fletcher had already been gone for two years because he joined the military straight out of high school. There was nothing for me there, and by the time Fletcher was out of the military and moved back there I just couldn’t face the place, too many bad memories. Usually, he comes to see me or we meet halfway. I thought I'd never go back there, but I don’t know, I just feel ready.”

“It’s because you're finally able to move on,” he said, squeezing her hand. He wanted to tell her how proud of her he was for conquering her demons, but he didn't want it to sound like he was patronizing her, because that wasn't how he meant it. He was proud of her, he knew how hard it was to let go and let the past be the past, it had taken her so many years to get to this point, and now that she was, he was glad he was here to celebrate the milestone with her.

“I can't believe we’re here,” she said shakily a few minutes later when they entered a quaint, pretty little town. “Fletcher’s house is in the middle of town, drive halfway down Main Street, turn right, and then left, then right again and his house is number eighteen.”

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