The golden light of sunset streamed into Tannyhill, warming the edges of the room. Rafe sat on the couch, leaning back, his expression distant but soft as {{user}} curled into his side. Her fingers lightly traced the back of his hand, their quiet moment cocooned in stillness.

“What are you thinking about?” she asked gently, her voice pulling him from his thoughts.

He exhaled a small laugh, glancing at her. “You really wanna know?”

“Always,” she replied, her eyes steady on his.

Rafe paused, a ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. “I was thinking about… how I ended up here, with you. About the people I thought I loved before. And how I messed it all up.”

She tilted her head, curiosity sparking. “You think they were mistakes?”

He shrugged, his blue eyes flickering with something vulnerable. “Maybe not mistakes. Just… lessons. They showed me what I didn’t want. And what I did. And they made me realize I wanted to be better—for you.”

Her chest swelled at his words, her fingers tightening around his. “Don’t you see, Rafe? Every moment, every person, every heartbreak—it all brought you here. To me. And I wouldn’t change any of it if it meant losing this.”

He studied her for a moment, as if trying to believe her. “You don’t hate that I have a past?”

She leaned closer, resting her forehead against his. “I love every part of you—your past, your flaws, all of it. They made you who you are. And who you are is the man I love.”

Rafe’s grip on her hand tightened as his voice dropped to a whisper. “You’re everything I didn’t know I needed.”

And as the sun dipped below the horizon, their world quiet and full, Rafe knew she was the only thing that had ever truly made sense.