What Love Is | ✅

50 | H U R T

River sat on the bay window and stared blankly out at the garden she hadn't been in for eight days.

She didn't think losing someone she'd never met could hurt so much.

But it did. It hurt so. damn. much.

The click of the door opening never brought her out of her daze, not even when she felt warm muscular arms wrap around her waist.

"Come to our room, pretty girl," Hayze pleaded. His voice sounded distant. "I can't sleep without you."

She continued to look straight ahead, the moon lighting up the pathway through the garden.

Soft lips pressed themselves to the back of her neck and a large hand enveloped hers. Though they didn't soothe the ache in her heart, it calmed the chaos in her mind.

"I'm here for you, okay." His voice was a soft whisper and it tickled the back of her ear. "I love you so much."

His words sent a warmth through her body but she couldn't find it in her to respond.

"Do you want some shrimp?" She didn't respond, but her tummy did. He chuckled and pat her tummy to which she winced. "Sorry," he apologized. "But, I'd feel better if you ate something and then came to bed. With me."

She pursed her lips and pulled her knees into her chest. Silence.

"You don't want to talk to me babygirl?"

She didn't answer.

Its not that she didn't want to. Its just, she felt she couldn't. She was emotionally exausted.

"Tell you what. We'll go downstairs and you can sit on the counter while i make you something nice."

River finally looked away from the window and gazed up at Hayze. He gave her a small, heart fluttering smile before gently picking her up and holding her close like a child.

She hummed slightly as she nuzzled her head into his neck and she could feel the deep chuckle come from his chest.

"Am i warm?" He asked quietly.

She nodded and placed a delicate kiss on his neck.

She could practically feel the smile coming off of him.

"Thank you, bella rosa."

She locked her legs tight around his torso as he made his way down the stairs and he pat her bum lightly in return.

"Can we talk while i bake? They'll be simple yes or no questions and all you have to do is nod."

She nodded and let go of him as he placed her down onto the counter.

Her little sock covered feet swung back and forth as she watched her husband collect things from the fridge.

"Do you want to try something new? Maybe a..." he trailed off as he took his phone out of his pocket and he pulled up a website. "How about a crepe cake with a cream cheese filling and fresh strawberries. We'll stack them as long as we talk. So the more you answer me, the more layers you get. Hows that, sounds good?"

She nodded a little more enthusiastically and he smiled and pecked her cheek.

"Okay, lets get cooking."

River watched as he meausured out each ingrediant with quick precisness before he passed them over to her so she could drop them in the bowl and mix.

"First question," he said as he poured some more milk into the mixture. "Are you feeling sad?"

She bit her lip and looked down at the the whisk in her hand before nodding.

"Okay. Its alright to feel sad. Do you feel angry?"

She felt a lot of emotions. Extreme anger at Nico and herself being one of them.

She nodded.

He nodded too and then took the batter for the crepes from her. "I feel angry. I called the police on Nico and they haven't found him yet. I don't think that anger will ever be gone until you feel better again and he's behind bars."

She pursed her lips and brought one knee up to her chest and placed her chin on it before reaching out and gently running a finger down the muscles of his arm.

"Do you... want to try for another baby? When you're ready of course."

She looked up at his eyes from under her eye lashes and gave him a small shy smile and he smiled back.

"I'll take that as a yes," he grinned. "We can go on another vacation. Get away from the stress of the business."

Her eyes lit up and she nodded enthusiastically as she watched him butter the pan and drop a thin layer of batter onto it.

"Where would you like to go? Whats something you want to do. Name it and we'll go there."

"I want to go to the same place we went last time."

He looked up quickly, shocked that she had spoken. He stared at her, his icy blue eyes twinkling.

"Your crepe is gonna burn," she smiled softly.

He looked back down and cursed when he noticed the edges were getting too crispy. He quickly took it off the pan and dropped it on the plate.

"Are you sure that's where you want to go again?" He asked as he continued to cook the batter.

She nodded and brushed her hair out of her face. "Yes please."

He smiled and stood in front of her. "Of course, babygirl. Anything for you." His hand wound around the back of her neck and he pulled her down to kiss her lips. She melted into him as their lips met and she realized everything would okay, despite what they both had lost.

Everything would be alright. As long as they were in love.