Hardin Scott has been madly in love with Tessa Young since the moment he first laid eyes on her, but there's no way she could ever see him as anything more than a friend. After all, he's a bad boy with a promiscuous past and she's a sweet and innoce...
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As I'm left standing in the hallway alone, I feel anger begin to take me over. I rush downstairs and pour myself a glass of water. I wonder to myself why Emma has to be as stubborn as Tessa is. They really are like sisters.
I finish my water and take two stairs at a time, until I'm standing outside our bedroom. I take a breath and quietly open the door. Tessa's already in bed asleep, so I very quietly climb in next to her. I try everything to fall asleep, but I'm just too angry.
Tessa begins to stir in her sleep and then I hear a sleepy voice. "Hardin?"
"I'm here, Tess."
"What did you do?"
"I tried to talk some sense into your stubborn friend."
"You what?"
"I got her to admit he did that to her neck," I say angrily.
"Oh, no," Tessa says with concern. "I was really hoping you were wrong."
"I know, baby, I know."
"What did she say?"
"She's not leaving him because she doesn't think she can do any better and she doesn't want to be alone anymore."
"What?! That's ridiculous!"
"I know, Tessa. I tried to tell her."
"I still don't understand why she wouldn't confide in me about what Dan did to her. We always tell each other everything."
"Tess, I think I need to tell you something." I sigh.
"O-okay."
"Neil attacked Emma, too, and she never told you about it."
"What?" Tessa asks in shock.
"At Neil's trial, she confided in me about him attacking her. She said only her ex-boyfriend knew that it happened, until she finally told me."
"Oh, no. Did he..."
"No. She said a guy saved her, who eventually became her boyfriend."
"Oh, Emma... Why would she tell you, but not me?"
"She said she was too ashamed to tell anyone. I don't think she even meant to tell me, but everything was so emotional that day."
"That's what you kept almost accidentally telling me!"
"I'm sorry, Tess. I didn't want to keep any secrets from you, but it wasn't mine to tell."
"I know, Hardin. I love you all the more for being there for her when I couldn't."
"Tess, we have to do something. I've already lived through this with my mum. She kept expecting my father to change, but all that changed is where on her body he would hurt her next. Emma thinks it was an accident and a one time thing. It won't be."
"I know, Hardin. I'll try to get through to her in the morning."
"We have to get her away from him. I was too young to help my mum, but I couldn't live with myself if I didn't do everything I could to help Emma now."
"Oh, Hardin." Tessa reaches up and wipes away a tear.
"Tessa, I'm not okay," I say as my voice cracks.
"I know." She continues to caress my cheek.
"This just hits too close to home. I never wanted to be reminded of the worst time of my life."
"What can I do, Hardin?"
"Please, promise you'll never let me go?"
"I will never let you go. You're stuck with me, Mr. Scott. You're going to marry me and we're going to live in a house we can barely afford in Seattle, while our two kids run around repeating curse words they heard you say causing me to scold you about it on a daily basis."
"Is that what our life is going to look like?" I can't help but let out a quiet chuckle through my tears.
"Well, there's still time to stop you from swearing in front of them, but pretty much." Tessa quietly laughs while wiping away my drying tears.
"I love you." I kiss her forehead.
"We'll see if you'll still be saying that after fifty years of me nagging you about your cursing." She giggles.
"That's part of the reason I love you."
"Hardin, I want Emma to have what we have."
"I do, too. I do, too," I repeat as I rub Tessa's back.
"What if she doesn't listen to either of us? What will we do?"
"I don't know yet, Tess. Let's just hope you can get through to her."
"Okay," she replies quietly.
"Let's try to get some sleep, baby. We have an important day ahead of us."
"Okay, Hardin."
I pull Tessa closer to me and she snuggles up against me. I kiss the top of her head.
"Hardin?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you for being such a wonderful, caring man. I love you, more than I'll ever be able to show you."
"Thank you for making me want to be such a wonderful, caring man. I love you, my beautiful girl."
