Page 102 of My Favorite Mistake

Even way back before, it wasn’t this good between them. Connor, of all people, knew the value of something hard-fought and won. When you have to earn it. When you have to work for it. Or when you’ve lost it and have to fight to get it back. He knew Liza understood and appreciated that, too, because earlier that evening, she’d gone toe-to-toe with him and verbally duked it out forhim. Forthem.And that made him wonder why he’d done everything he did to endthemin the first place.

Uncomfortable and heart wrenching as the confrontation had been, it wasn’t anywhere near as bad as Connor anticipated. Liza somehow still believed in his ability to be good for her. He wasn’t convinced of that himself, but he was going to try. He was going to work. He knew he might screw it up, but after all, a long time ago they made a promise to each other.

“If you’re trying, I’m staying.”

Connor had fucked up that entire promise, but Liza saw fit to give him a second chance in spite of it, and his body suddenly tingled with resolve to do something. Make something happen. Get started on proving itright then.

The clock on his nightstand declared in bright red numbers that it was 3:17 in the morning, and Liza was fast asleep. This probably wasn’t the best time to do this, but part of him honestly wanted to jump up to stand on the mattress and sing Nina Simone’sFeeling Goodat the top of his lungs.

Birds flying high! You know how I feel! It's a new dawn! It's a new day! It's a new life! For me! And I'm feeling good!

Except it wasn’t even close to dawn yet, and they’d been up really late. Still, Connor was so antsy all of a sudden, he knew he’d never be able to fall asleep. After all, if she’d forgiven him for everything else, surely she’d forgive him for waking her up in the middle of the night.

“Liza.” He kissed the side of her neck and gave her a gentle shake.

“Mmm…”

“Liza, wake up for a second.”

She sucked in a deep breath and then gave a sleepy sigh, nestling her face deeper into the crook of his neck.

Connor shook her hard enough that it could be considered rude. “Liza. Wake up really quick.”

“Huh?”

“Wake up. I need to talk to you.”

Liza blinked as she turned her head toward the ceiling. “It’s not morning.”

“No, but I need to tell you something.”

She rubbed her eyes as she pushed herself up to sitting, clutching the sheet against her bare breasts. “Are you okay?”

Her hair was a wild, tousled mess, and her eyes were puffy and hooded, and Connor had never seen anything more endearing in all his life. She washisonce again, and he wanted to be able to wake her up like this in the middle of the nightevery single night. Not that he would. All of this was completely rude, and he’d never do it again, butdammit,he was on fire right then.

Connor tore the sheets off himself, clambered to the foot of the bed, stood up, and put his fists on his hips, striking a naked Superman pose.

Liza pressed her fingertips into one eye as she squinted up at him with the other. “What are you doing?”

“It's a new dawn!” he declared as he began jumping like he was a five-year-old excited about his new big boy bed. “It's a new day! It's a new life! And I'm feeling good!”

She continued to squint through an incredulous expression. “That’s great, baby.”

“And!” He stopped jumping and pointed at her. “I love you.”

She gave a sleepy smile. “I love you, too.”

“I love you with all of me, and lifelong love is a choice. I choose to love you forever.”

Connor dropped to bounce on his ass and then scooted across the bed to sit right in front of her. The sleepy, incredulous expression on her face softened, and he placed his hands on her cheeks.

“I promise no matter what happens, I will not be moved by frustration or setbacks. I will remember the end goal. I will keep that goal in mind with every choice I make, and I will keep working toward it no matter what things look like. I can’t promise you that things will be perfect, but I can promise that as long as you’re trying, I’m staying.”

Liza’s eyes brimmed, and she opened her mouth, but he wasn’t finished yet.

“I know you never stopped trying, sweetheart. I know you were ready to come here and keep trying, and I should’ve let you. I know the only reason you moved on is because I forced you to make that choice. I promise I’ll never do anything like that again.”

She dropped her chin so low he was now cradling her face like a small bundle. “I really hope you mean that.”

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