Ever After Awaits (Layla) novel Chapter 92

Chapter 92: Layla POV

It’s Friday, early afternoon, and I’m putting a load of washing in while deciding whether to tackle dusting or vacuuming next, when my phone pings in my pocket. Once my hands are empty, I take it out and see Hunter’s name on my screen with a message

notification waiting for me.

*

Hunter: Hey, beautiful. Are you busy?

Layla: I’m busy being an adult & cleaning. You? *

* Hunter: I was thinking a walk might be good. Wanna join me? *

It doesn’t even cross my mind to say no, because I’ve missed him this week, and I need

his steadfastness to ground me after the last couple of days‘ whirlwind of emotions.

* Layla: Give me an hour? *

* Hunter: I’ll bring coffee *

He shows up exactly an hour later with two travel mugs and the unique smile he

reserves only for me.

Before I even get the chance to say hello, he steps into me, slides his left hand around to the small of my back, and leans in for a kiss I didn’t know I needed.

After a few seconds, he leans back with a panty–scorching smile and huskily says, “Hey,

Beautiful,” rendering me speechless as his eyes peer into my soul.

“Hi,” is all I can articulate, making him smile at me knowingly.

“You ready?” he asks as he steps away from me slowly, his hand lingering on my waist as

he goes.

“Almost, I just need my sneakers,” I say as I turn around, slip on my trainers, and grab a light hoodie off the hook behind the door.

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Chapter 92: Layla POV

Hunter drives us to just outside town, where the trees are packed tightly together, and the roads are long and winding. We arrive at the parking lot of the same hiking trail where we had bumped into each other a couple of weeks ago after I had lost his number.

The nature trail is quiet and empty except for us. The early afternoon sun filters through the branches in fractured patches, and the air smells like pine and damp earth.

We walk in step beside each other at a leisurely pace, as he sometimes brushes a branch aside for me, or other times points something out to me – an owl box nailed to an old knarly tree, or the quick flash of a deer disappearing deeper into the woods.

We don’t speak for a long time, just enjoying the scenery and each other’s company as we traverse a path that has most likely seen thousands of feet over the years.

Eventually, without looking at me, he says, “I used to come here after rehab.”

I look at him, but he doesn’t look back at me, keeping his eye on the upcoming hill that I

know will lead to a sparkling creek. I stay quiet and let him get whatever this is off his

chest.

“I didn’t talk about it much after,” he goes on after a few feet, “I didn’t want it to

become this thing that defined me. But in the end, it did. Only behind closed doors, and

through the lies I started telling.”

My throat tightens at his admission that is obviously taking a toll on him, even to this

day.

“Pain meds,” he continues as we keep strolling, “It started with a broken arm during football practice of all things and a bad doctor, and ended with me lying to everyone so that I could try and get through each week.”

His face is tight, and his hands are clenching and unclenching at his sides as I let him

continue.

“Cade found out first, but didn’t tell anyone because he knew it would end my football career if the coach found out,” he says, his jaw flexing, “Xavier dealt with my withdrawals. He took my keys and stayed outside the bathroom door more nights than I could count.”

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Chapter 92: Layla POV

Only then does he look at me as he adds, “That was the first time I ever understood

what it meant to feel safe.”

My chest hurts at his confession in an adoring way because I didn’t think I could love him more, but this hidden truth makes my heart grow even bigger for him.

“I’ve always thought of you as being steady and self–assured,” I tell him.

He shrugs as his gaze roams towards the forest’s canopy, which is filled with gentle birdsong. “I have to be, because if I fall apart, I don’t know who will pick up the pieces. this time. I can’t expect Xavier and Cade to be there every time I crumble.”

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That makes me stop walking, and after a few paces, he notices and comes to a halt too. Turning towards me, I approach him slowly and say, “You’re allowed to need people, too,

Hunter.”

At that, he locks eyes with me, his look honest and tinged with vulnerability, as he says, “I know. That’s why I asked you to come today.”

After a few seconds of silence that doesn’t need to be filled, we start walking again.

At one point, he reaches over and gently takes the travel mug from my hand, places it in his backpack, and takes my hand to intertwine our fingers. The heat of his hand wrapped around mine feels like this is how it’s always meant to be between us.

About 20 minutes later, we reach the meadow we reconnected in, and find a half–dry log along the stream’s bank. A patch of warm and inviting sunlight shines down on us as we sit shoulder to shoulder, gazing across the sparkling water.

After a few minutes, he hands me a bottle of water from his backpack and opens one for himself, saying, “You’ve been carrying a lot over the last couple of weeks.”

I nod, but can’t quite bring myself to answer him.

“I don’t want to be another weight in your life that you have to carry,” he adds, “I want to be a place that you can come to to offload some of those burdens, maybe even help

you carry them.”

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The look of sincerity in his eyes has me swallowing hard to get the lump in my throat down. “Thank you,” I eventually get out, before leaning my head on his shoulder to take

this moment in.

A little while later, he shifts, brushes a lock of hair off my face, and tucks it behind my

ear. His hand lingers on the side of my neck as his eyes search mine, and I’m the first

one to lean into him for a kiss that cements my feelings for him tenfold.

It’s not soft or fleeting. It’s deep and sensual, and my body instinctively pushes closer to

him with an unspoken need for more.

When we finally pull back and open our eyes slowly, I tell him, “I love you” with deep- seated meaning.

He doesn’t hesitate as he replies, “I love you, too, Beautiful.”

We don’t rush to get back, and the peace surrounding us afterwards makes me think,

‘What if I say yes?‘.

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