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“I don’t feel guilty, and that’s what’s so scary.”
“Scary?”
“I thought only of myself and decided that I deserved to be happy.”
“Why should that make you feel guilty?”
“Because I put myself first.”
“I still don’t understand.”
“Barbara Havers of old always thought of you, despite appearances to the contrary.”
“And?”
“And when you told me you were retiring to go and run Howenstow, suddenly I didn’t care what you thought or needed. All I knew was I couldn’t lose you… and so I...”
His lips brushed tenderly against mine.
“And so you finally made the move we’d both wanted to for years. Barbara Havers, you were, are, and always will be exactly what I need.”