6. Chapter 5
When you have a connection with someone, a real connection, it never goes away.
“She still looks the same,” Tiago murmured, his arm around his fiancée, Fleur.
The others murmured and started talking among themselves as Hope headed for the kitchen.
Bradford resisted the urge to follow her, mainly because Adalyn nudged his foot with hers and said, “Sit still.”
“I’m not doing anything.”
“I know, but she’s not going anywhere.”
Yeah, he knew that was what his issue was deep down.
Or maybe not so deep down. He’d been taking classes at Tulane and had just finished a couple beginner psychology classes.
The content was fascinating, though some of it was pretty obvious.
Still…all the shit Tiago had been calling all of them out over the past decade-plus was spot-on.
They’d always messed with Tiago about being “evolved” and “philosophical” but the man was the most settled and sane of all of them.
“Well, I know that look.” Adalyn’s tone was dry.
“I don’t want her to be alone.” Hope had looked so damn lost when he’d seen her walking to the front of the chairs and his heart had broken a little to know that she had no family left.
He didn’t either—not family he wanted to know anyway. But he had people he considered closer than the blood he’d been born into. Hope didn’t.
He wanted to be that for her, but she’d thrown walls up and created distance when things had gotten to be too much for her.
“Have you told her that you’re staying at her place yet?” Now Adalyn was grinning at him.
“Nope, and it’s going to stay that way. She’ll figure it out when I don’t leave.”
Tiago groaned slightly across the table. “You’re making a mistake.”
“This is one time you’re wrong. The only mistake I made was letting her run before.
” Not like he’d had a way to stop her back then.
But he could have pushed harder to get back into her life once he’d gotten out of the Marines.
He’d been a coward though, and now he realized that if he never pushed, he’d never get what he wanted—what they both deserved.
And if she truly didn’t want him anymore, then he’d walk away and leave her alone for good.
But she’d never been loved properly, never had anyone be there for her, something he understood now. So that was going to be him, no matter what. He’d be there for Hope as long as possible.
Because he wasn’t walking away this time. It didn’t matter that he’d thought about serving her divorce papers—that he’d actually had them drawn up. Screw that. He’d burn them tonight.
Hope belonged with him. He just had to break down her walls and get her to believe him. The only way he’d ever walk away was if he exhausted all options with her.