Halle deserves better than anything I could ever give her. She deserves someone who would give her the world. While I can’t give her all those things, I can promise her one thing. I will love her more than anyone ever possibly could.
All these years, Halle never once gave up on me. When I walked away from her, she never turned her back on me. She never stopped loving me. She doesn’t have to say the words, I know it with everything in me.
While I can’t go back and fix what I took away from her, from us, these past five years, I can promise her today and everyday forward that I’ll be the man she deserves.
Until I found her, I never knew what loving someone meant. Now I need to prove to her that I’ll never let her go again.
15
Halle
* * *
“Your vows today, Callum, they were so beautiful. And Ellie looks stunning and happy. This entire day, I’m just so happy for you both.”
Our hips sway to the music, as we both glance over at her. Her hand is wrapped around Wes’s forearm, their other hand wrapped together, as they dance slowly to the music.
Wes spins her before pulling her back into his arms. I’m not sure if it’s the move or something he said that leaves her blushing, as she glances over at Callum.
“Thank you.” He smiles, as he stares back at her. You can feel how much it means to him seeing her happiness, her laughter.
Everything about their love just fills me with so much hope that someday I’ll find what they have found together.
“She means the world to me. I can’t imagine my life without her now, you know. I’m the luckiest bastard in the world.” Callum’s soft laugh reaches his eyes as he steals a glance at his new bride.
Ellie rests her cheek against Wes’s shoulder as she smiles back at Callum. He winks at her, just before he whistles at his friend to get his attention.
“I don’t mind you dancing with my girl and all, but can you maybe put a little distance between the two of you?”
Callum grins and plays off that he’s joking, but we all know there’s a little bit of truth to his comments. Ellie rolls her eyes playfully as she blows him a kiss, just as Brannon approaches, asking to cut in.
“Does she have any idea where you’re planning to take her yet? I’m surprised you’ve managed to keep it a secret for this long.”
Callum chuckles. “If she has any idea, she hasn’t let on. She likes to try to guess, but so far, it’s remained a secret. It’s the first time I’ve ever kept anything from her. When I see her face, it will all be worth it.”
When Callum proposed to Ellie, she told him yes but made him promise to keep the wedding small. She’s not at all into things being big and flashy. That’s what I love about her. She holds so much value in the people close to her. Callum, on the other hand, wanted to share with the world Ellie was going to be his wife. When she explained to him it wasn’t important to her and would mean more for their family and close friends to be there, he couldn’t deny giving her everything she wanted.
Ellie didn’t have a lot of family. I think the thought of planning a wedding brought on the reminder of the people who would be absent on her big day.
I think Callum’s one of few men in history to completely plan the wedding. Ellie helped with some of it, like dress shopping and certain décor pieces. The rest was all him. Ellie had been through enough leading up to their engagement. He knew the trial proceedings putting away the man who hurt her, affected Ellie deeply. He didn’t want to add any stress to what he wanted to be the happiest time of their life.
Looking around the old rustic barn, I’m just in awe of what they accomplished. It looks like something you’d see featured in a country living magazine.
The sound of a throat clearing behind us draws my attention back to the present, to Graham standing in front of us.
“Do you mind if I cut in?” Graham asks, looking from me to Callum.
“Who am I to stand in the way of you dancing with Callum on his big day,” I joke, taking a step back, sweeping my hand in front of me.
I want to laugh at the look on his face, as his eyes narrow at me.
“Get over here.” Graham gives a flirtatious growl, and I can’t help the giggle that escapes.
“Alright, alright. Kinsley, looks like it’s your turn.” I smile, looking over my shoulder to where Kinsley stands talking to Brea, waiting in line for their turn at dollar dances.
Graham’s arms wrap around me, nearly taking all the air right out of me. The feel of his broad chest and the smell of his woodsy scent makes me dizzy.
The song changes, playing to Jason Aldean’s “You Make It Easy” as I press my cheek against his arm. I close my eyes, focusing on the steady beat of my heart trying to take my mind off Graham and the way my stomach flutters being in his arms again.
Graham tilts his head forward, pressing his face into the crook of my neck. His warm breath feathers over my collarbone, and for a moment, I swear I feel his lips brush against my skin. Goose bumps break out over my body, forcing me to squeeze my eyes closed tighter as I force myself to breathe.
I shiver as he traces his lips up the column of my neck near my ear. His warm breath makes my heart stop beating and I hold my breath, waiting for what he’s about to do next.
“You look so beautiful, Halle.”
His hands clench my waist tighter, holding me to him. He leans back, wrapping his hand along the side of my face, brushing my hair back in the process.
“Look at me,” he whispers, as I slowly open my eyes to stare up at him.
His wall is down. All his emotions are laid out before me. I don’t know what to do, what to say. So, I do what’s best for the both of us, and for once, I just shut up. I wait for him to say whatever it is he’s been wanting to say, while praying in the process he doesn’t crush me.
“I’m sorry,” he says, pausing for a moment to take a deep breath. He looks somewhere behind me, his eyes become distant. He’s lost in thought before snapping out of it, falling back on mine.
“I’m sorry for not walking you out to your car at Brodie’s like I wanted to, for not being with you at Hudson’s when Krate approached you again. I’m sorry for…”
I can feel the weight of this bearing down on him. This isn’t just about the present, but so much more.
Pressing my hand to his chest, I want to tell him it’s okay, he doesn’t have to bring it up, but the words are out of his mouth before I can.
“I’m sorry I left you, Halle. I’m sorry I feared losing you too. I thought I was doing right by you, letting you go. After we lost Gage, I felt like I failed him. I couldn’t bear the thought of failing you. It would kill me if something ever happened to you, Halle. Do you understand me?”
His thumb traces along the curve of my cheek and I realize then he’s catching my tears, wiping them away.
“I hate to see you cry. You’re too beautiful to be crying.”
Rubbing my hand over his forearm, I whisper a soft “hey” urging him to look at me.
“It’s okay. I’m okay, I promise.”
He nods his head but keeps his gaze down.
“I’d give you my heart, beating in my chest, if it meant protecting yours.”