Preservation (The Walshes, #7)

by Kate Canterbary

Tom said, his deep voice carrying over the low rumble,

"What's her nickname?" she asked. "What?" I asked, my voice still raspy and raw. "Her nickname," Shannon said. "You always find the perfect nicknames for the people you care about, so I'm just wondering what you chose for her."

She was my Elektra, my Mystique, my Leia, my Katniss, my Daenerys, my Agent Carter, my Elizabeth Swann, my Arwen Evenstar, my Buffy, my Beatrice, my Catwoman, my Dorothy Gale, my everything, my… "Aly," I said. "She's my Aly."

Shannon said, "We're keeping you. Regardless of whether everything works out with Riley, you belong with us."

Then I was coming and laughing and clinging to him because "I love you," I murmured. "I love you, Riley." "I love you, Aly," he replied, his voice heavy with laughter.

Alex: But you hate hospitals. Riley: I do but I love you.

"The shortstop is the most skilled, agile defensive player on the field," I continued. "It's a difficult position to play and play well. They aren't usually strong hitters so they don't make headlines and they rarely get any credit for the wins, but they're still responsible for covering the most ground and knowing all the moves before anyone else."

Riley: I know you don't want to hear from me right now but if you need anything, I'll be there for you.

The one thing I knew to be true was that I needed to be loved all the way through. I wasn't accepting anything less.

But Matt was one of the best people. So good that he'd stand by while I painted myself into a complicated fairy tale with no hope of a happy ending. So good he could confront me—and put the foundations of our relationship right there on the table—with only one threat of mortal violence. He was the best people, and I deserved to be sitting in a mess of pastry.

Except I didn't want a nice guy. I wanted the man who was kind and loving, quirky as all hell, and an absolute fucking beast.

"You fed him, didn't you?" He shrugged but didn't bother looking remorseful. He was a real-life Mother Goose.

I wanted the idea of her, and you have to know that the reality of you is far better than any idea I've ever had."

"I'm not good at many things. But I'll always be good to you."

Do you recognize that I'm in charge but you have all the power? Do you see that I want to worship you in every way possible? Do you trust me to take your most fragile pieces and keep them safe?

"That's all I want. You, exactly the way you are."

The dark lines of new ink peeked out from her sleeve on the right side, and I swept my knuckles down the jagged edge of Cape Cod.

How she was the only one, the only one I'd ever love with all of me.