Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 86515 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86515 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
“Patrick doesn’t feel that way,” I point out.
“I know. He said as much, but there’s also the fact that I hurt you. I think I broke trust with you and—”
There’s no stopping me as I pull her into a hard hug and wrap my arms tightly around her, her next words muffled against my chest. “You didn’t break trust. I know that. Realized it after I cooled down. You’d never do anything to hurt me.” I exhale, slow and heavy. “I was wrong, Juno. Completely. I let my anger and my fear of the spotlight get the best of me, and I aimed it at the one person who didn’t deserve it.”
More muffled words and she twists her neck to the side, I think so she can breathe. I ignore it and continue. “I accused you of being like Cherry, and that was unfair and lazy and rooted in my own shit. You’re nothing like her.”
She manages to lift her head, eyes soft and yearning.
“I trust you,” I say. “I didn’t realize how much until today. And yeah—I trust you enough that if that footage ever ends up in the film, I know you’ll handle it with integrity.”
Juno shakes her head. “It won’t end up there.”
“But if it does,” I repeat so she understands me clearly, “I trust you to do it right.”
Her gaze searches my face. “You’re really okay with that?”
“I’m more than okay,” I say. “Because I trust you.” Silence stretches between us, thick and charged. “And I love you.”
I hadn’t planned on saying those three words, but I take stock of how I’m feeling. Yes, the words feel right. They came out on their own, and there’s nothing in my conscience wishing I’d take them back. They’re Juno’s now—along with my heart—to do with what she wants.
“I promise,” I say, my hands going to her face and locking my eyes on hers, “I will never doubt you again. I will always believe that you have my best interests at heart, and I will always support you in whatever you do.”
Her breath catches, and those beautiful eyes glisten with the threat of tears.
“You going to cry on me?” I tease, trying to lighten the moment.
She shakes her head hard. “No, but I am going to tell you that I love you. I mean… how could I not? You’re fucking perfect for me.”
And there it is. No fireworks going off, no romantic music in the background. Two people exchanging a commitment and letting our truth settle into place.
I kiss her then and she falls into it. I’m sure more words are coming, reiteration of apologies, a conversation on how we can better handle such things if they were to happen again, because I’m not naive enough to think we’ll never fight or have a misunderstanding.
You don’t give trust once and assume it will hold. You choose it again and again, especially when fear tells you to retreat. And what I now understand is that somewhere along the way, I stopped trying to protect myself from what loving her might cost and started paying attention to what it gives me instead.