21. Taran

CHAPTER 21

TARAN

I couldn’t believe Wynter was taking this long to bring Rory home. Every second that ticked by was another knot in my stomach. My hands gripped my phone like it was the only thing keeping me tethered to the world. I needed answers. My heart was pounding in my chest, my mind racing with every possible scenario, none of them good.

Where the hell were they?

I ran my fingers through my hair, pacing the living room, the clock ticking louder and louder in my head. My thoughts spiraled. If Rory felt that strongly about Wynter that he’d run away, that was it. There would be no way forward with us. I couldn’t push him to accept something he wouldn’t. I wanted to be with Wynter, more than anything, but not at the cost of Rory’s happiness. If my son wasn’t okay with this…

The idea of losing Wynter was unbearable. He was the first man who made me believe that I could actually be happy again, after all these years of being alone.

But if anything happened to Rory—if I lost him—my heart would break in ways I couldn’t even imagine.

Where were they?

I looked down at my phone again, and then I heard it—the soft thud of footsteps outside the door. My heart leaped in my chest, a flood of relief washing over me as I rushed to the door, throwing it open without thinking.

“Rory!” I practically yanked him into my arms, holding him close, as though the world would fall apart if I didn’t. His skin was cold, his cheeks flushed, but otherwise, he seemed… okay.

He wriggled in my arms, trying to pull away, embarrassed by my display of affection, but I couldn’t stop myself. I kissed the top of his head, the side of his face, his hair, as if my touch could somehow erase the fear and worry I’d been carrying.

“I’m all right, Dad.” His voice was small, almost shy, like he was bracing for my anger.

“Oh, Rory.” I squeezed him tighter, the tension in my chest easing just a little. “Rory, Rory.” My eyes stung, but I held back the tears. I couldn’t scare him. Not now.

He stared up at me, dark brown eyes filled with guilt, his lips trembling. “I’m sorry I hurt you.”

“Don’t apologize,” I whispered, brushing my fingers down his arms, still not quite believing he was standing here in front of me, safe and sound. “You’re back. That’s all that matters right now.”

I could still feel the cold in his skin, the tension in his body, but something in me softened. He was here, and that was the only thing I cared about for now.

Then, my gaze drifted over to Wynter, who was still standing on the threshold, looking as worried as I felt. Rory gave his hand a small tug, pulling him into the house.

“Let’s go in,” I said, stepping back to let them both inside. My heart was still pounding in my chest, but I was trying to stay calm. “We’ll talk in the kitchen.”

We moved to the kitchen, everyone sitting around the table. I could feel the weight of the silence, the tension hanging in the air, and I wasn’t sure how to break it.

I had no idea how to handle this. Years of parenthood hadn’t prepared me for a moment like this. What was I supposed to say to my son who had done something so dangerous, even with the best of intentions?

“I’m making hot chocolate,” I muttered, needing to do something to keep my hands busy. If I didn’t, I was afraid I’d lose control of the emotions swirling inside me—anger, fear, relief.

Rory shifted in his seat. “I thought maybe I could… help with dinner later,” he said softly, the words filled with guilt, but he didn’t meet my eyes. He kept staring down at the table, his fingers tracing the wood.

I shook my head, swallowing hard. “We’ll talk about dinner in a minute. First, tell me what happened. Why did you go to the bank?” I needed to understand.

Rory shifted again, his shoulders stiff. “I thought I could get the money to help you, Dad.” His voice was small, almost apologetic. “I didn’t mean to… I didn’t mean for it to go like this.”

I finished pouring the hot chocolate into three mugs and placed them on the table, my hands trembling slightly. “That was so… so thoughtful of you, Rory,” I said, my voice breaking a little. “But you’ve got to understand, you can’t put yourself in that kind of danger. Do you know how scared I was?”

Rory bit his lip, his eyes flickering between me and Wynter. “Wynter said I shaved five years off his life. How many years did I shave off yours?”

I glanced over at Wynter, a small smirk pulling at my lips despite the situation. “I think you shaved ten off mine.”

Rory let out a small laugh, but it was tight. “That many?”

“Yep.” I reached for the mugs, handing one to each of them. “So, what do I get for that?”

Rory leaned back in his chair, looking defeated, then glanced up at me, his lips pouting. “A month grounded?”

I nodded. “That’s right, a month.”

He sighed, shaking his head. “Well, I guess I’ll start right away.” He stood and wrapped his arms around me. “I’m sorry, Dad. I thought I could do it. I thought I could come back before you found out I was gone.”

“That’s…” I took a deep breath, my fingers brushing the back of his head. “Promise me, Rory. No more sneaking off like this. Ever.”

“I already promised Wynter,” he said, his voice quiet but sincere. “But sure, I’ll promise you too.”

I kissed the top of his head. “Good. And if you want to make it up to me, you can come down later and set the table.”

“Okay.” He gave me a weak smile, then turned toward Wynter. “Is he staying for dinner?”

I looked up at Wynter, and despite everything, the corners of my mouth curled into a smile. “Sure, if he wants to.”

“I want to,” Wynter said with a grin.

Rory bounded off to his room, his energy returning now that the worst of it was over. I stayed at the table, feeling the weight of the moment. I ran a hand over my face, trying to process everything that had happened.

Wynter said, “We would have been here sooner but we had to stop at the station. The police wanted to make sure Rory was okay, get his side of the story. They were concerned, but everything’s fine now.”

I leaned back against the counter, trying to let the tension in my shoulders ease. His presence was grounding, as it always seemed to be, but tonight, after everything, it felt like salvation.

He closed the distance between us, his hands reaching out to rest on my hips. “You okay?” His voice was soft, coaxing.

I nodded, though I wasn’t sure it was entirely true. “I think so. I just... I keep thinking about what could’ve happened. If you hadn’t found him—” My voice broke, and I had to stop, pressing my lips together to keep the wave of emotion at bay.

Wynter’s hands tightened on my waist, steadying me. “But I did find him. He’s safe now. You don’t have to carry the ‘what-ifs,’ baby.”

I exhaled, leaning into his touch. “You always know the right thing to say, don’t you?”

He smiled faintly, his thumb brushing over my side. “Not always. But I know what you need to hear.”

I let out a soft laugh, shaky but real, and reached up to cup his face. His stubble was rough beneath my palm, a comforting contrast to the tenderness in his expression. “You’ve been exactly what I needed, Wyn. I hope you know that.”

He leaned into my touch, his lips curving into a smile against my thumb. “And you’ve been exactly what I didn’t know I was looking for.”

I didn’t hesitate this time. I kissed him, my fingers curling into his hair as I pulled him closer. It wasn’t the first kiss we’d shared, or even the first time we’d confessed how much we meant to each other, but tonight, it felt like we were solidifying something unspoken. The promise of a future. The promise of us .

When we finally pulled apart, his forehead rested against mine, his breath warm against my lips.

“I was scared tonight,” I admitted quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. “Scared I’d lose Rory. And scared I might lose this. Lose you.”

“You won’t lose me,” Wynter said, his voice firm and certain, grounding me in a way nothing else could. “I’m not going anywhere, Taran.”

I nodded, letting his words settle deep in my chest. His steady presence was the calm I didn’t know I needed. I brushed my thumb along his jawline, marveling at how his strength felt like a lifeline, tethering me when everything else seemed so uncertain.

“You’ve been staying with us these last few days,” I began, my voice soft but steady. “It’s been good having you here. For me. For Rory too.” I paused, my heart racing at what I was about to say. “Maybe you could check out of the cabin and stay here for a while. In the guest room… for now.”

Wynter’s brow lifted, his lips parting slightly in surprise, but his eyes searched mine, warm and full of hope.

“For now,” I repeated, my voice dropping lower, more intimate. “But I don’t want you in the guest room forever. I want you here. With me. In my bed. Permanently.”

His expression softened, a flicker of emotion crossing his face before he stepped closer, his hand settling on my waist. “Taran…”

“I know,” I said quickly, the words rushing out. “I know it might take Rory a minute to get there. To see us not just as a couple but… sharing a bed. I don’t want to push him too fast. And I know your divorce needs to be finalized before we make this official.” I hesitated, feeling the weight of my own vulnerability. “But this… asking you to stay… it’s a first step. I want to start building something with you, Wyn.”

His hand tightened slightly on my waist, and his other came up to cup my face, his thumb brushing against my cheek. “You have no idea how much I want that too.”

He leaned in, kissing me softly at first, then deeper, with all the passion and promise I’d ever dreamed of. The kiss spoke of everything we hadn’t yet said, of everything we would have together.

When we finally pulled apart, my forehead rested against his, our breaths mingling in the quiet. “Stay,” I whispered again.

“I’ll stay,” he murmured, his voice steady, resolute. “For as long as you’ll have me.”

“For always,” I replied, the words slipping out without hesitation.

He smiled, wide and genuine, and it felt like the first real breath I’d taken all day.

This was the start of something real, something lasting. And as we stood there in the stillness of my kitchen, with the promise of forever hanging between us, I couldn’t help but feel like we’d just taken the most important step toward the life we both wanted. Together.