Page 60 of A Love So Sweet
“Wait. Do you take out your own trash?” he asked with a teasing smile.
“Yes.” She grinned, remembering how she’d deemed that aboy job.
“No way. Do you ask for help in stores?”
“All the time. Gosh, I’d forgotten how shy I was. What a mess I was back then.” She covered her eyes briefly and shook her head.
“You were adorable, Max. I always knew how strong you were. I never had any doubt about your strength and courage. You were destined to accomplish everything you dreamed of. So, this guy, is he good to you?”
Max’s heart swelled even thinking about Treat. “He’s the most incredible man I have ever met, and yes, he’s very good to me.” Talking to the old Ryan was easy, comforting even. If only she’d learned years ago what she now saw so clearly. How different would her life have been? And if she hadn’t come to slay her demons…Well, she couldn’t even go there. It was too painful to think of how close she’d come to turning around and going home.
“In case you’re worried about your guy changing, what I have is pretty rare, Max. We were right at that age when it shows up. We’re past that now. I don’t think you have to worry about another guy going crazy on you out of the blue.” Ryan wasn’t making fun of her. He was being honest, like the old Ryan, thinking of her well-being.
“Thank you for that,” she said. “For all these years I thought you hurt me because you resented me. I was pretty certain of it. It’s guided my relationships, or maybe I should say my lack of relationships.”
“Max, I would have followed you anywhere. That’s what relationships are, give and take. Compromises are essential.” Ryan watched a petite redhead walking their way, and when she arrived at their table, he reached out to her. “Rachelle, this is Max.”
A warmth connected their gaze, and Max knew that Ryan cared for her. She smiled and said, “Hi.”
Rachelle put her hand on Ryan’s shoulder. “Max, I’m so glad that you finally reached out to Ryan. He’s told me a lot about you. I know how much you meant to him. He’s been worried about you for a very long time.”
“I guess I’ve worried about me, too,” Max admitted.
“Rachelle and I met when I was in the inpatient facility. She was a nurse’s aide. She’s an RN now, and she works at the hospital in town.” He smiled up at Rachelle with pride.
The love in Ryan’s eyes brought Max’s mind back to Treat and the way he looked at her, touched her, and so wonderfully completed her. She’d done it. She’d faced her worst demons, and she was still breathing.
No, she wasn’tstillbreathing—she was breathing like never before.
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Chapter Twenty-Eight
TREAT AND SAVANNAH sat beside each other on their father’s couch. They’d brought Hal home at nine o’clock, and he was asleep by ten. Now it was nearing midnight, and Treat felt like he’d been treading water for the past twelve hours. He’d heard back from his buddy Brett and had learned the truth about Max’s ex well before he’d received the call from Max confirming the same. He’d have given anything to have been in both places at once. To his surprise, Max wasn’t upset when he told her he’d hired Elite Security to watch over her in his absence.Maybe I should be upset, but it shows me just how much you care about me.She’d been incredibly brave to tackle her worst fears, and now he wanted her back safely in his arms. He’d offered to charter a flight to bring her home tonight, but she’d said she was too exhausted to even think about traveling. She’d be back in Colorado tomorrow, and she said she’d call him when she got to her apartment. It was going to be a very long night.
Rex joined them in the living room. “Where’s Josh?”
“In the shower. Want a beer?” Treat asked.
“Nah, thanks. I think we need to have a family meeting.” Rex sat in the chair next to their father’s recliner.
Josh joined them a few minutes later. “Savannah, do you want a drink before I sit down?”
“Yeah, I’ll take some wine. Red, please.”
“I’ll get it,” Treat offered. He went to the kitchen. Anything to stop the pain of staring at his father’s empty chair. They’d had a near miss, and it had brought his father’s mortality into clear focus. He wasn’t about to waste any more years away from his family.
In the kitchen, Josh asked about Hugh and Dane.
“Hugh’s on his way,” Treat explained. “Got hung up on a layover. And Dane gets in tomorrow. How are you holding up?” Josh was the most sensitive of his brothers, and Treat wanted him to know that he was there if he needed to talk.
“Okay. I’m not going to lie; it scared me. I’ve never thought of Dad as someone who could get sick.”
“Me either.” Treat took a swig of his beer. “It scared me, too, but I think Ben knows what he’s talking about, and if he thought this was anything other than stress cardiomyopathy he’d tell us.”
“Do you believe in it? Broken heart syndrome?”
Absolutely. If anything had happened to Max, I’d have been in the hospital next.“I don’t know, but we all know Dad believes he still sees and talks to Mom, and I think he just might.”
