More Of You - One for the Ages // Book Two

Chapter 24

HARRY

Sure, Elizabeth and I were a mess. Sure, we were chaotic. Sure, we had things to work on. And yes, I knew we weren't perfect but I didn't really care either. I knew Elizabeth and I would experience issues but I also knew things were different between us. I felt it when she told me she loved me. I could still feel it as she stood in the guest house, staring out the french doors at the lightly falling rain outside. She was holding a mug of tea, wearing one of my old sweatshirts and a pair of boxers with her long brunette hair tied back into a messy bun.

I had invited her to stay, she had happily accepted. I made us dinner. Spaghetti, of course, what else?

I could've stared at her standing there forever. The fact that she was in this guest house with me was still a miracle as far as I was concerned. The fact that she'd opened up to me, finally, was also a miracle.

I didn't want to pressure her into anything, we'd had quite the afternoon already. But I felt like there were things we still needed to iron out and I didn't want to wait to discuss them. I felt like we'd already waited too long.

I walked towards her slowly, getting more and more anxious as I got closer. We may have had a new understanding but I would always be nervous when discussing such heavy things. I sat on the arm of the chair nearest her,

"Hey..." I whispered, calling her attention to me.

When she turned her head to look at me, I momentarily had to catch my breath. Christ she was beautiful. I reached my hand out to her,

"C'mere..." I beckoned. She reached out without hesitation, allowing me to pull her towards me. I took the tea from her hands and set it on a nearby end table. When she settled against my body, I lifted my hand to her cheek, "Can we talk about some stuff?" I asked.

She nodded,

"Anything you want."

I couldn't help but smile. It was interesting how different she was now. Like a teenage girl full of wonder and curiosity. But once I remembered what I was going to talk to her about, my smile faded,

"I want you to know..." My eyes met hers, "That the reason I didn't bring up our future...marriage, kids...was because-"

"I know." She interrupted, "Me." She finished. When I shook my head and started to speak she rushed on, "I understand." She lifted her hand to my cheek, "And it's ok. Talking about those things is scary. Even more so when you don't know how the other person might respond." I went to speak again and she kept going, "Harry you aren't at fault for any of this. It's ok."

I huffed out a breath in frustration,

"Elizabeth...you are not at fault for everything."

She shrugged, moving her hand down to take my hand from her cheek. She averted her eyes down as she toyed with my fingers,

"I mean...if it wasn't me then what was it?"

"Me." I answered without hesitation. I took a breath when she lifted her eyes to mine, "I wanted us to have some stability for all of that. I'm busy and you're busy and we weren't even on the same continent for the majority of our relationship. I wanted things to calm down. And I know how important your career is to you...I didn't want you to think a choice had to be made."

She nodded gently,

"That sounds...really sensible."

I took her hands into mine. I looked her dead in her eyes,

"I want you to know that when I think about my future...when I picture it...my marriage, my kids...my life...you are there. You're the one I'm sharing all of that with."