Page 84 of Dearest Protector

Ben was giving me exactly what I’d asked for, just like he always did.

Given that fact, why was it so damn hard not to run right back to him because I felt like being with him was exactly where I belonged?

Chapter 21

Ariel

“This place is adorable,” Katie said a few weeks later as she walked out of the bedroom of my new apartment. “And pretty close to your old condo.”

I nodded as Katie sat down on the opposite end of my new couch. “I like it. I’m still close to the beach.”

The apartment was small, but worlds away from the one I’d lived in when I’d first come back to Fort Myers.

I’d decorated it in a coastal vibe with furnishings that were beachy, light, and bright.

Lately, I’d been taking a lot of photos of seashells, boats, and other seascapes. I had a whole portfolio of pictures that I was currently working on for a new collection.

I’d also finished two more commissioned pieces that had more than paid for my move.

I looked around the cozy home with a sigh, still amazed that I could afford this kind of living space. There was something to be said about knowing I’d earned the money to buy every single new thing is this place.

I’d even replaced my old clunker of a vehicle. I hadn’t gone crazy and bought something brand new, but the compact car that now sat in my parking space was reliable, and only two years old.

And Istillhad an amazing bank balance, and I was earning more every single day.

“You got a new haircut, too,” Katie observed as she cocked her head.

I lifted my hand and ran my fingers through my curls.

I’d been on a mission to find myself, which included finding a hairstyle that suited me.

My unruly locks still hung to my shoulders, but the stylist had taken off a lot of the length. The new style had done wonders to help tame my crazy curls.

“It’s a lot easier to handle these curls in a shorter style,” I told Katie with a smile.

“You look beautiful, Ariel. I can tell you replaced your old wardrobe, too,” Katie mused.

I nodded. “I have to meet with potential clients sometimes. I thought it was past time I took care of myself.”

“It feels good, right?” Katie asked as she ran her hand through her own stylish cut. “I don’t think my hair has been this healthy since I was a kid.”

I smiled as I saw the glint of light from the large diamond that Ian had put on Katie’s finger not long ago.

My best friend looked beautiful, too, but the most gorgeous thing about her was the happiness in her eyes.

We’d both known hardship and sacrifice.

We’d also known long periods of time when taking care of ourselves had been our last priority.

It was almost surreal that both of us were in a completely different place now.

I held my hand up to my eyes and said jokingly, “Stop! That ring is going to make me go blind.”

She held her hand out and stared at her ring finger. “It was a little over-the-top, which reminds me very much of my fiancé. I love it.”

She loved her fiancé even more than she loved that ring, and judging by the way Ian treated Katie, he felt exactly the same way about her.

My best friend had changed so much, yet she was the same Katie I’d always known and loved.

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