Unbreak My Heart (Unbreak My Heart #1)(84)

“I wouldn’t trade Iris for Rachel,” he said softly. “I wouldn’t trade Iris for anything.”

“Shane,” I said, my throat clogged with emotion, “if Rachel hadn’t died, you wouldn’t even know Iris. Making those kind of comparisons is pointless. Don’t do that.”

“I love you. I love our life. I don’t think I could go back,” he said hoarsely.

“That’s not even an option, so stop it.”

He closed his eyes tight, and I slid my hand to the front of his throat as he swallowed.

“Why do you do that?” he asked, opening his eyes again slowly as he reached up to grip my wrist.

My face heated as I rubbed my thumb up and down the side of his neck, clearing my throat. “When you first came to Aunt Ellie and Uncle Mike’s, you were so quiet,” I told him, meeting his emotion-filled eyes. “I could usually read people, but you—I couldn’t tell what you were thinking. I watched you, you know?”

He nodded, smiling slightly.

“Well, I finally noticed that if you were upset, or mad, or even happy, you swallowed hard. Just once sometimes, but it always happened. I learned to watch for that.”

“Weird,” he whispered.

“I knew what you were doing when I caught you kissing Rachel because your faces were so close together, but for a second you raised your head, and I saw you swallow hard.”

“That was such a shitty thing to do.”

“Yeah, you were such a little *,” I agreed, running my hand down his chest to pinch his nipple.

“Ow!” he yelped, catching my hand and bringing it back to his neck.

“I put my hand on your throat”—I followed the words with the movement—“because even if you’re not saying anything, I can physically feel your emotion. It’s a million times better when I know that emotion’s for me.”

“Marry me,” he whispered hoarsely, searching my eyes as he placed his hand over mine and I felt his Adam’s apple bob. “Be my wife.”

“Yes.”





Epilogue

Shane



Tell me again why you’re wearing all that junk on your face,” I said to my girl, switching lanes so I could pull off the freeway.

“Because Auntie Kate said I could!” Sage replied, glancing over at me. “Since it’s a special night.”

Kate had adopted the kids less than a month after we’d married, and the little boys started calling her “Mom” right away—probably because Iris did. Keller had taken a little longer to feel comfortable with the idea, but he’d eventually started doing it, too. Sage, though—well, she remembered her mom clearly, and when she continued to call Kate “Auntie Kate” long after the adoption, we hadn’t mentioned it. That was her decision. It didn’t matter what she called Kate; their bond was set in stone.

“I don’t know why you need makeup on to go to a coffeehouse,” I grumbled. “It’s dark in there anyway.”

“Because I’m a girl and girls wear makeup,” she said, losing patience with me.

“Not at thirteen.”

“Can you just drop it? Geez, Dad!”

“Fine,” I said, pulling my truck into the parking lot already filled with cars.

I hopped out of the truck and walked around the hood to help Sage out. She hated when I did shit like that, but I couldn’t help myself. She was my little girl, and I was hoping that, if I continued to open doors for her and make sure I walked on the outside of the sidewalk, she’d remember that when she started dating and had to decide which boys she’d spend her time with.

“You’re such a dork,” she told me as I crooked my elbow for her to grasp.

“You think I’m awesome, don’t lie,” I retorted, opening the front door and ushering her inside.

We found a table off to the side of the room, and I smiled as I watched Sage glance around us at all the teenagers. She was quite a bit younger than most of them, and I knew she was feeling a little nervous about being there with her dad.

“Hey, guys, can I get you anything to drink?” a young kid in an apron asked us right after we’d sat down, flipping his bangs off his forehead as he stared at Sage.

“Can I have a hot chocolate?” Sage asked softly, blushing.

Oh hell no.

“Black coffee,” I barked, making the kid jump.

“Uh, sure thing,” he mumbled, backing up a step before spinning around.

“Seriously, Dad?” Sage hissed, glancing around us.

“What?” I knew exactly what. I’d been a jackass, but I wasn’t about to explain that that boy had been checking out my thirteen-year-old daughter right in front of me. Better that she had no idea about the effect she had on the opposite sex.

“Hey, San Diego,” a familiar voice called out over the speakers. “How you guys doing tonight?”

The room filled with cheers, and Sage’s face lit up as she looked past me toward the stage.

“Aren’t you guys sweet?” Kate rasped with a short chuckle. “I love coming in to play for you. You’re good for my ego.”

The crowd grew even louder, and I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face.