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I sobbed, relief rocking through me “Really?”

“Yes”

My tears cah my body I fell into Cooper and accepted his co up into his ar my face in his neck as he climbed the stairs

He settled on his bed, tuckingme cry all the tears I’d kept bottled up for years

Cooper

Jess’s tears subsided after a while, her body stopped ainst his, and her shallow breathing eased out

Cooper held her so tight, wishing like hell there were ic words or actions that could take away her traumatic past

Fuck

He’d known she was hiding so, and he’d known for her to break up with hiine it was as bad as it was

The things she’d seen as a kid

And all Cooper could think was that no one would ever know it—that she was haunted like she was She’d become a doctor, she practiced kindness in every way, and she loved to laugh and ht in her, despite the dark trying to snuff it out

“I wish I hadn’t reacted the way I did,” he suddenly said into the quiet of his bedroom, “about Sarah”

Jess’s fingers curled into his T-shirt “What do you

He squeezed her closer, not ever wanting to let her go “If I had been ht have had the courage to tell me about this sooner”

She pulled away so she could look at him

He drank in her red-ri surge of tenderness for her

“Cooper, no” Jess shook her head “Even if you had, there’s no guarantee I would have felt brave enough to tell you It took losing you, as horrible as that is; it took losing you But youI know you” She pressed her hand over his heart “I should have trusted in you and I am so sorry”

“Jess,” he whispered, brushing his thuh But I’ll be here while you do it Never doubt that”

She bit her lip in thought and after a while she nodded “Matthew is the only person still in my life from then who knohat I did But I wouldn’t talk to him about it, either Ever The records are sealed I was scared to tell anyone because of how my parents treatedto do with me To them I was monstrous for what I’d done I was scared everyone would feel the same way Even Theresa I shut her out, too I haven’t spoken to her since Julia’s funeral I couldn’t stand it if I found out that she, of all people, thought I was a monster, too”

Indignation raged through Cooper “Your parents are the monsters, Jess They didn’t protect you Either of you”

“Rationally I know that” She nodded “But their rejection left its mark My whole life I’ve been terrified to let anyone in But everyone needs to feel needed and being a doctor gavein my personal life It also felt like redemption”

“You don’t need to be redeemed”

She gave hiht I did I didn’t realize until I got here just how euess I knew that I was still punishinghereI felt this peace I can’t explain I’ve never felt any kind of peace before and I didn’t want to lose it ItAbout why I was really a doctor, why I didn’t have anyone in my life” Her smile turned open and warm “And you and Bailey—you liked me Me Not the doctor part”

“I liked that part, too,” Cooper said honestly, “because I think it is a part of you It’s not just a way to be redee it since you were fourteen It’s who you are”

Fresh tears slipped down her cheeks, but she was s “You really think so?”

Cooper needed her to understand this once and for all He sat up, cupping her face in his hands, and he said, “It hurts like hell knowing you’ve seen what you have, done what you have, but it cath, bravery, and loyalty I don’t see anything but beauty in that”

Jess stared at him in astonishment, in wonder Finally she whispered, “Where did you come from, Cooper Lawson?”

She loved him

He kneithout her having to say it

Relief poured through hiht “I love you”

Her fingers dug into the muscles in his back “I love you, too”

“Thank fuck for that” He closed his eyes in relief, sle

A little while later Jessica eased back fro in her eyes “We have two problems”

Cooper felt his irritation return “Devlin and Dana”

She nodded “I hate theestured between theuess we just keep an eye out for her trouble”

“I saw her at theJack That’s when she caet hih me “Really?”