I Love You More Than I'm Afraid (Our Forevers #2) by Rebel Hart (the first e reader .txt) 📕

he tried to walk away I grabbed his wrist and held him in place. “Thank you, Tristan.”

He pet my head gently before leaning down and giving me a kiss on top. “It’s okay. Just, please eat and drink, then you can sleep.”

It was the least I could do after everything he was doing for me. “Okay.”

His phone rang and he walked over to it and picked it up. “Hey baby.” He looked over at me. “Yeah, she’s here. Eating.” He laughed. “Yeah, I’m happy too. How are things on your end?” He sank down into his chair and a look of shock crossed his face. “Oh.” I tilted my head, wondering if everything was okay with Arden, but not really knowing if I had any right to ask. “Yeah, no, I’m sure… Uh…” He looked up at me and then frowned. “Um… Yeah. I can do that. Let me just get Hannah situated and then I’ll be on my way. Okay. I love you too. Bye.”

He hung up his phone and I dared to ask. “Is everything okay?”

“No,” Tristan said. “Aria just got some bad news and needs me.”

I recognized that even though she had bad news, she still asked about me first. Even if she was a struggle for me, Aria was a good person. I could admit that.

“Go,” I said. “You’ve been babying me enough.”

“Actually,” he said. “Why don’t you come with? You haven’t been getting out much and, if I’m being honest Hannah, I really need you to at least try to get along with Aria. You’re the two most important women in my life.”

“Yeah,” I said. “I know.”

“There’s no one at her house right now, so if you wanna try and rest there, you can, and I actually think she’d like to see you,” he said. I wasn’t sure if that was true, but he had such a look of desperation on his face that I was powerless to decline.

“Okay. I’ll go,” I said.

He looked so relieved it made me sad. “Thank you. Finish up eating and then we can go.”

Doing the best I could to do all the basic, human care things that Tristan was asking me to, if not for myself, to help reduce his stress. On the way over to Aria’s we stopped to pick up some flowers, and then we made our way to her place. Tristan had a key, something he’d been given in order to help take care of Aria when her mom was away at work, so he unlocked the door before standing aside so that I could go in. Immediately, a dog started barking, and I recoiled at first before this beautiful chocolate lab came rushing down the stairs.

And I did what I think any other human would do in my emotional state, I sat right on the floor in the entryway and let her attack me.

“That’s Hazelnut,” Tristan said. “And she is the best girl and will give you all the love if you let her.”

“I will let her,” I said.

She was licking my face and jumping all over me like she’d lost her mind and I didn’t care. I needed the overwhelming love from that dog.

“Tris?” Aria called out.

“It’s me!” he called up. “And Hannah!”

“Oh, Hannah’s here?” she said, and she actually did have a light tone to her voice like she was happy about it. “I’m hobbling. Don’t stop me.” Tristan dropped his head, but didn’t fight and we both stood there and watched as Aria came limping down the stairs, carefully working her way down without stepping too hard on her bad ankle. “Hi,” she greeted cheerily even though her eyes were red as though she’d just been crying. “Sorry. My house is a mess.”

I looked around at the very immaculate setting, at least from what I could see. “Uh… no it’s not.” It was more of that little-miss-perfect that annoyed me, but I promised Tristan I would try, and I wanted to keep that promise.

“You’re right, it’s not, but I just feel like that’s what you say,” Aria replied.

It grounded her immediately and I chuckled. “Oh. Yeah, I guess.”

Tristan took over helping Aria once she’d reached a few stairs before the bottom and guided her into the living room. Upsettingly, Hazelnut left me in the interest of following after Tristan and Aria, so I took the opportunity to stand up and walk into the living room after them. It wasn’t large, but large enough for us, with an L-shaped couch and a comfortable recliner. I took the recliner and just as Aria was about to sit on the couch, she straightened up.

“Oh, Hannah, I’m being rude, do you want—”

“I will get it!” Tristan barked.

“Okay, honey,” she whined.

He looked guilt-ridden immediately. “Sorry. I’m tired.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” She rubbed the side of his face.

“Me too,” I said.

He looked over at me and smiled. “It’s okay. Being exhausted by taking care of you two is a good reason. I’ll get Hannah a drink. Baby, do you want something?”

“I’m okay. Thank you,” she replied.

“Be right back,” Tristan said and walked off.

I frowned. “I feel so bad.”

“You and me both. He’s too good to us,” Aria said.

“He really is,” I replied, then I looked over at her. “So… how are you feeling?”

“I’ve had better days, but I can’t complain. Some time off work, getting waited on—it feels like a little vacation amidst bad circumstances, ya know?” she said. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m not even gonna lie, I’m not doing well,” I said. “Sleeping, eating… Existing. All very difficult for me right now.”

“That's understandable. I can’t imagine what you must be going through,” Aria replied. “For what it’s worth, I’m sad for you. I was really rooting for you guys.”

I pulled my legs up and buried my head against my legs. “I thought that was gonna be it, ya know? That we’d look forward and just sort of be together forever.”

There was a quiet creaking sound that I wasn’t sure what it was until I all of a