Chapter 5

"S o how are you holding up?" Grace asked coming around the corner of the path at the gazebo searching for him.

"Just fine Grace," Tyler replied pausing his work to rest his arm on top of the shovel.

"Really?" she said shaking her head slightly seeing the look in his eyes. "I'll be damned…"

"What?" Tyler said seeing the smile appear on her face.

"You're in love again and it's most certainly not with the fiancée that just left town," she stated surveying him and the area again.

"If you say so—maybe I'm just relieved to not be getting married to a woman I don't love after all," he offered with a shrug before going back to digging a small hole with the smile still there.

"No that's not it at all," Grace stated as the timing of everything finally made sense. "Holy hell…"

"What?" Tyler said pausing.

"I can't believe I never figured it out," Grace said shaking her head in disbelief.

"Figured what out?" he asked cautiously.

"Figured out who she was…I mean it's so obvious now. You're in love…with Justine Crawford," she said quietly, glancing around the area before she did.

"Grace, I think the doctor needs a doctor," Tyler said with a laugh despite his desire to admit the truth.

"No I don't, you went from happy to miserable the summer after high school, not too long after Justine left town. Now…she came back to town the day you shredded your hand on the shovel. She's been in town since then and you're completely and utterly in love with her, aren't you?" Grace asked, demanding the truth as he moved to leave. She reached out, taking hold of his arm adding, "I'll file it under doctor-patient confidentiality right now Tyler so just answer me honestly. You're in love with her, aren't you?"

Tyler stared at his cousin until he had to admit the truth. "Fine," he sighed. "Yes, I am and have always been in love with Justine. We were together the last two and a half years of high school, and we were planning on running away and getting married after graduation."

"What?" Grace gasped as her eyes went wide with shock.

"The night she left town, we were supposed to meet here, all of this," Tyler said motioning to the flowers and gazebo, "was from me to her. She always ran through here and I wanted her to know no matter what I might say at school or around town that I wanted her, loved her."

"Then what happened? Why did she leave town?"

"She overheard her parents arguing about what Dad had been doing to them lately, came over to warn me that we should probably stay away from here for longer than we first anticipated and overheard Mom and Dad arguing about what to do with Hailey's illness."

"She knew about Hailey?" Grace asked in shock, moving over to sit down on the steps of the gazebo trying to wrap her mind around it.

"She knew how much the twins meant to me, knew with how our parents were acting they'd never begin to accept us together. If Hailey had died…" He stopped, shuddering a bit at the idea of it being possible still.

"Your parents would have found a way to blame the Crawfords," Grace said understanding that much. "Did she tell you why she was leaving?"

"No, if I'd known that she left to try to protect me—our family—I would have gone and searched every single school in the country until I found her, brought her home and married her right then and there. Then told Dad to shove his fucking feud up his ass," Tyler admitted, and Grace smiled lightly at his cursing. Her cousin never cursed except when he was really, truly pissed.

"And now?" she asked sensing he wasn't about to let the feud stop him still.

"Now, I'm doing my utmost best to get Justine to tell me what has her so worried, scared, about her past that she's refusing to see and admit what we have. She said she had a bad relationship and that's why she doesn't want to risk us, but she also can't turn me away. Hasn't been able to since she got to town, which tells me she still loves me even if she hasn't said it yet."

"What exactly does that mean Tyler?" Grace questioned meeting his gaze head-on.

"I saw her before I shredded my hand that morning when she came home. She's why I shredded my hand, and at church I couldn't stop from talking to her again. I was angry as hell with her for showing up right when I'd finally told myself she never would, and that I should just suck it up and marry Angela the way I'd agreed to. Then there she was in the flesh and as ticked as I was at her, I knew I still wanted her, still loved her. I said some hurtful things to her and there was a look that crossed her face when she said she'd hurt just as much for me as I had for her, and I couldn't leave it like that. So I went to her hotel room that night and she told me why she'd left."

"And you slept with her…that's why you didn't care when Angela took off with her ex," Grace surmised, and he nodded. "You've been sleeping with her since she's been back, while engaged to Angela?"

"It wasn't a real engagement, wasn't ever going to be a real marriage, just something to get everyone off our backs. Then Justine shows up and tells me what she did for me and there wasn't a chance I could walk away again."

"Leaving so your parents didn't try to keep you out of Hailey's life? What could have been the end of her life, because you'd married her?" Grace questioned seeing the expression that crossed his face as he thought about it.

"That's not all she did Grace," Tyler said moving over sit with her. "I just don't think I can tell you."

"Tyler, you can tell me anything and I will never tell a soul."

"Yeah well, it's not so simple and since you're Hailey's primary doctor now and she's still a minor…"

"What about it Tyler? What does it have to do with you and Justine?" Grace said and Tyler ran his hands over his head before looking back to his cousin needing her word about what he was about to tell her.

"None of this goes beyond this step—I mean it Grace. You cannot tell anyone, least of all my parents…"

"Hand to god, just tell me what's going on Tyler," Grace stated knowing whatever it was had to be big if he was this worried.

"You know Hailey's the only one of us whose blood type is O, let alone her being O negative which means none of us could donate blood let alone a kidney for her. Well, it turns out that Justine's O negative as well," he admitted, and Grace's brow rose in surprise. "Justine left here, went to Seattle and sat down with Hailey's doctor; she got tested and was a perfect match for Hailey."

"You're telling me…Hailey's kidney didn't come from a teenager who died in a car accident, it came from Justine?" Grace said in shock.

"I saw her medical tests, she has a scar where they extracted her kidney, and she gets regular blood panels ran since she only has one. The woman I love, have always loved, saved my sister's life and I can't tell anyone that she did because of a stupid asinine feud that started before any of our existences were ever thought about. You know how close we were to losing Hailey, a couple more months of waiting on a transplant list…"

"She wouldn't have made it. Her kidneys were fully shutting down, she would have been on dialysis daily soon…Justine's decision saved her life," Grace acknowledged reaching out for Tyler's hand, squeezing it for comfort for them both.

"Yet I can't tell anyone without both sides going berserk. Justine's parents would have forbidden her to do it, no matter if she was eighteen and could legally make that decision or not, they would have disowned her for it. Dad would never have allowed it to happen…knowing that a piece of a Crawford has been inside his daughter for the last ten years…"

"He would rather die himself than see that happen," Grace said when he couldn't. "I can't believe Justine would do that and then stay away for ten years though. Why did she do it when no one in the family has ever been nice, let alone kind to any of the Crawfords? Well, other than you."

"She knew how much I loved the twins, knew that if she'd stayed we would have eventually come out, potentially been disowned as it was. If it ever came out that she donated her kidney to Hailey…there would have been an uproar about it all."

"True," Grace agreed. "I take it you're no longer angry at Justine then?"

"No, how can I possibly be angry with her for saving Hailey's life? Yes, I missed her every single second of every single day that she was gone. Hell, I burnt this place to the ground to try to forget about her, but I never could, and I never will be able to, I know that now."

" You burnt this place down? That's why you spend every single spare second out here taking care of it now, isn't it? It's not so much the plants and wildlife you're tending to, it's been your love for Justine," Grace said understanding him far better now.

"Yes, this was the one place where I could openly show how much she still meant to me. I love her, I will always love her and I'm not about to let her slip out of my life again."

"And your parents' reaction to what they might potentially do when they find out?"

"Isn't enough for me to walk away, not even close. If I have to choose between being with Justine and the Andersons…I will choose her instantly. I've lived ten years without her, I'm not about to go ten more days with her away from me."

"And what about the twins? You've been there for them for everything Tyler; first day of school, first dates, first heartaches…can you really give them up for Justine?"

"I'm not saying it'll be easy to do, but I want a life with Justine. I want a family with her. Maybe they'll understand—the twins," he expanded, certain his parents likely never would, "and they'll be part of our lives. Who knows maybe the prospect of joint grandbabies will end this stupid, pointless feud, and allow us all to finally just move on with our lives? I was adamant about not getting married and having kids because I would never be able to do that, have kids without Justine in my world. Now she's back, finally within my reach, I refuse to let anything tear us apart this time. The feud, our families, and certainly not her fear…none of it is going to stop me from making her mine. She already is. She knows it, I know it, and soon this entire town will know it too."

"You have one member of the Anderson family behind you Tyler," Grace promised giving him a hug and encouraging smile. "Who knows, maybe with her being away for ten years her parents will accept you two together, especially if it means you'll be here in town or nearby. I know they've missed her and don't want her to be across the country from them again."

"I hope so, because I don't know if Justine will fight for this the same way right now as I will. I don't know what she's scared of, or what she's trying to face alone right now, but I guarantee if they start in on the feud the way they're aiming to, it'll take me forever to have her as mine and I can't wait for forever, not after finding heaven again with her."

"Good luck Tyler, I have a feeling you'll need it in order to get things worked out the way you want," Grace warned, and he nodded knowing it was true.

∞∞∞

Justine slid back into the woods, watching Tyler talk to his cousin. She couldn't believe he'd told her the truth, told her everything, but it made her happy to hear him admit how much he loved her.

She was shocked that he'd burnt down their spot but in a way, she understood it. In her own way, she'd done her best to burn out the memory of him. Using her job to forget her pain, but it hadn't worked, and it seemed neither had his attempts.

She waited until Grace left then slid back through the woods, hopping over a few stones to get over the creek before taking the bridge over it so he'd see her.

This time when she turned around the gazebo, she wasn't surprised when she careened into a hard body. A smile settled onto her lips, and she slid her arms around his neck as he lifted her further against him. "Hi…"

"Hi baby," he said brushing a few strands of hair from her eyes as they'd slipped from her ponytail. "Having fun?"

"Mmm I could be having more," she said giving him a long look that had him groaning as his body woke fully and swiftly.

"When will you be back at the hotel?" he asked kissing the side of her neck as he ran a hand down her side.

"About thirty minutes," she guessed, giving him a lingering kiss before heading out to finish her run. She wasn't surprised to find him already in the suite waiting for her and she slid the ‘do not disturb' sign into the lock before flipping the inside bolt heading straight for him. His hands quickly lifted her against him, and she wrapped her legs around his waist needing him more than she'd ever needed him before she thought.

"You're going to kill me woman," he sighed moving her into the bedroom discarding her clothing as a desperate need overtook him.

"Show me," she stated letting him into her heart—back into her soul as they crashed through oblivion together.

Tyler held her, her head resting on his chest, her body fully relaxed for the first time since she'd been home. He felt her begin to move and held her a bit tighter not about to let her go when she was so at ease.

"I'm not going anywhere Tyler," she said kissing his chest as she grabbed a pillow, propping herself up on it so she could see him easier.

"What's going on behind that little smile, Just?" he asked seeing the way it spread across her entire face.

"Just remembering us. How this always was with us," she stated as he rolled onto his side to watch her. "It was always you for me, even when I hated the way you treated me, it was always you for me."

"That's the same with me baby. I love you. I have always loved you," he stated brushing the hair off her neck as he leaned over, dropping kisses along her shoulder and down her back as she sighed happily.

"I know…and I've always loved you," she admitted, gasping when his lips instantly covered hers with a kiss she'd never experienced before—a kiss that stole every thought from her mind and simply made her feel again.

"You're mine again?" he asked letting his fingers trace her face and she nodded kissing them before he kissed every inch of her body and sent her to the stars for a delightfully long time.

He napped beside her, waking to find her gone and his heart stopped for a moment before he saw her things still scattered around the room. He grabbed his pants and stepped into them as he moved through the suite looking for her.

"Justine?" he called out when he didn't find her in any of the rooms. She didn't answer and he looked around the room trying to figure out where she'd gone.

A key sounded in the lock, and he waited with bated breath as the door opened. He spied the bags she carried and moved over to hold open the door for her, letting her put them down on the table before pulling her into his arms to hold tightly.

"Tyler, what's wrong?" she asked feeling his heart racing.

"What's wrong? I wake up after you finally tell me you still love me, and you were gone Just. I couldn't find you anywhere and I was terrified I'd lost you again."

"I'm not going anywhere Ty," she promised knowing the only way to move forward was with him beside her. As terrifying as it was since it meant facing the hell of the last five years. "I went out to get us some food. You were sleeping soundly, and I didn't want to wake you. I know you've been staying up to make sure I don't run out, but you don't have to anymore. I promise I'm not going anywhere, not again."

"Baby, four days ago you told me you were too scared to do this…that your head was telling you not to, so what changed?" he questioned needing the answer to know how much he could relax, trust this newfound world he was suddenly living in. He wanted it desperately, but after finding her gone once, he couldn't quite breathe and believe it fully just yet.

"You simply holding me, chasing away the ghosts inside my head. I've been shielding myself because of what happened since I've been here, but by doing that I'm not being true to who I am. I couldn't believe in this, us, because I wasn't being me but today…us…that was me. That was everything we ever were and more."

"It was," he agreed pulling her into his side as he moved them over to the couch. He lifted her onto his lap and held her, closing his eyes as he breathed her in, memorizing everything about this moment—the moment when he finally had her back. "Does this mean you're staying?"

"Yes Ty, I'm staying," she assured him, giving him a grin as she laid back in order to see his face. "I called my boss and told them I wasn't coming back."

"That's it? No flying back to pick up your things from your office? No need to pack up your place?" he asked, and she shook her head no. "How's that possible? I know you Just, you keep everything."

"I used to but not anymore. Everything important is in the car," she said, not about to admit that her townhouse with the rest of her things not in the storage unit had been burnt down by the group she was after when she'd been compromised.

"You're serious? What happened to the girl who took five dozen photos just to get the one shot to show off and then kept the others in a shoe box?" he asked dropping a kiss onto her lips.

"She learned it's easier to travel light. I've moved from place to place because nowhere felt right to stay for long and I was tired of packing and unpacking."

"Perhaps you've been missing the incredible views from right here," he suggested, and she smiled knowing she had. "Are you going to be looking for somewhere here to stay then or are you just going to live in the hotel for the foreseeable future?"

"I don't know. I don't want to sign a long lease if…"

"If what?" he questioned when she stopped.

"If we come out with this, move forward with us, outside of these walls. I can't stay here and not be with you Tyler. I love you too much for that."

"And your parents' and my parents' reactions to this—us?"

"Terrifying but I'm tired of pretending to be someone I'm not. If they love us, then they'll find a way to love us together, right?"

"Absolutely baby," he agreed kissing her fully until he was carrying her back to the bedroom.

"What about the food?" she asked sliding her hand around his neck.

"Later, right now, you're the only thing I'm craving," he stated, and she knew this choice was the right one.