“What about Avery?” I asked softly, hating that I needed to go there. I didn’t want to ruin this sweet moment, but it was clear that Torin had invaded my mind, and possibly my heart. If I were to think about truly giving this a go, I needed to clear up the past. “I … haven’t wanted to bring it up. But I think I shouldunderstand what happened with you two. Really understand. Because I’ve carried that guilt for years.”
His jaw tightened slightly. He shifted closer, his knee brushing mine, and I met his gaze.
“I’ve always been a steady as you go kind of lad,” he began. “It’s my nature.”
“Taurus, through and through.” I smiled at him and gestured with my wine glass for him to continue.
“I guess when I care for someone—my mum, my mates…I’m there. Always. I show up. I like to make sure people are safe. I like to help to…I don’t know, keep their worlds running. Whatever.”
Classic for his chart.His Cancer Moon made him a natural nurturer.
“Avery liked that about me at first,” he said. “Said it made her feel secure. But over time…” He shook his head. “She grew restless. She had an agenda, you see? And I didn’t follow it closely enough. She had our whole lives mapped out while I was still just getting to know her.”
My breath caught. So there had been issues outside of my reading that had caused them to break.
“You had a tricky chart alignment,” I said, looking at him over my wine glass. “It was what I was trying to explain to her. It’s not impossible, no partnership is impossible. But some take a hell of a lot more work than others.”
“I did try,” Torin continued. “I did work hard at that relationship. But she wanted the kind of man who would fall neatly in line with her plans.” His mouth curved wryly. “That’s not me.”
“No,” I said softly. “It’s not.”
“And I’m not sorry about that,” he said. “What hurt wasn’t that she left. I think we both knew it was coming. What hurt…”His throat bobbed. “Was her telling people I cheated on her. That I broke her heart and that I was untrustworthy.”
“I know.” I did, because I’d been blasted with the same rumor.
“She said it to justify leaving. And once she said it, she had to keep going.” He shrugged one shoulder. “People believed her.”
“People shouldn’t have. It wasn’t fair,” I insisted.
“Life isn’t fair. But I’ve always been a man of my word. I take pride in that. And suddenly I was … branded a cheat.” He looked down at his hands. “I retreated after that. Work, the woods, my mum. Few close friends. Kept my circle small. Easier that way.”
I’d done the same. In the form of running to Glasgow and starting my life over.
“And now?” I whispered.
He lifted his gaze to mine. “And now…you’re here.”
My heart thudded.
“You’re nothing like her,” he said gently. “You’re warm, open, funny as hell. You feel everything. You believe in good, everywhere you go. You’re constantly talking to yourself or drifting away mid-conversation. You leave crystals and flowers and earrings all over the place. It was like I was living in black and white, and you’ve brought a box of crayons to color in my empty spaces.”
My eyes filled. It was probably the nicest thing anyone had ever said to me.
And I knew it was the truth as he literally couldn’t lie. This man was knocking me sideways, but it also felt so right to be with him.
“Don’t cry,” Torin said, panic filling his voice. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
“No, it’s a good cry. I promise.” I dashed the back of my hand across my cheek. “You don’t need to apologize for anything you’ve said.”
Torin tilted his head at me. “And that’s another thing … you don’t demand I be anything I’m not.”
A soft, trembling laugh escaped me. “I think you’re probably giving me too much praise, Torin. I don’t know what I’m doing half the time.”
“That’s fine,” he murmured. “I do.”
His hand moved—slowly, deliberately—just enough to brush my knee.
A spark shot through me.