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Loyal swerved over to the side of the road and threw the Rover in park Roxanna’s head swung toward him in surprise as he unlatched his seatbelt to face her His heart cracked at the sight of her tear-streaked cheeks

“Shit” Her head ducked as she reached up with tre hands to wipe at the moisture “I didn’t mean to say that out loud”

“I love you”

She jerked her head back up, her eyes wide

“Even when I didn’t want to like you, I was drawn to you froed, after that, I fought it for all the wrong reasons, until the night of the fire Maybe even for a little bit after, but the truth of it is, as soon as I caught one gliht you were, I was done for I couldn’t not love you”

Her cheeks et again, and he unfastened and got her seatbelt out of the way before cupping her face with both hands He intended to swipe the new tears froaze stayed with his, he instead leaned down to kiss the

“Listen to me, Roxanna, and believe every word I say You are not the problem Your mother is She’s the selfish one who can’t love anyone but herself She doesn’t deserve someone as wonderful as you in her life” He moved his lips to her other cheek “Hell, I probably don’t, either, but I’ you in my life every day”

Realizing she’d been dead silent since he said, “I love you,” he experienced a moment of panic

“If you’ll have me, that is”

Her head ducked again, and the next thing he knew, she burst into loud, gasping sobs and sagged into his arhtly as he smoothed her hair, until the sobs became sniffles, then hiccups, and finally there was silence in the dark cab

She flattened one hand on his chest, sliding it until her palm covered where his heart thumped in his chest

“I love you, too”

The whispered words ainst his wet shirt He wanted to tilt her head up to his, but she was still tucked in pretty tight and not

“When I was younger, I had a vision that the true love of my life would be Loyal and true”

He gave a tiny, involuntary head-jerk “Seriously?”