"Nate, what are you doing here?" I ask, surprised to see him.

"I. Uhh. I slept here." He says, rubbing a hand through his hair.

"You slept here? I thought Candace wouldn't let you in?" I say.

"Well, she wouldn't. By here, I mean I slept propped up next to the door." He says nonchalantly. I just look at him like he's crazy.

"You slept out here all night? Nathan it's like 30 degrees. You could have frozen." He just shrugs his shoulders and continues to stare at me.

"Why in the world did you sleep out here?" I ask the crazy man.

"Remember when you first tried to get out of staying with me? I told you that if you didn't stay with me I would sleep outside of wherever you ended up to make sure you were safe. So, when Candace wouldn't let me in, that's what I did." He replies.

"Oh." I say, shocked at his answer.

Dang, maybe he is actually a really good guy.

Deciding that I did in fact make the right choice, I don't back away when he moves to cup my cheek. His tense muscles ease instantly when his calloused hand brushes my face. I'm guessing he wasn't expecting me to let him get this close. We just stare at each other for a few minutes before his deep voice breaks the silence.

"Angel, I'm so sorry. I have absolutely no excuse for what I did to you, but I've regretted it for every second since. I didn't mean one single thing I said, I know you probably don't believe me, but I'm telling the truth. I love you. Every part of you. I want to be there to protect you and hold your hand. I want to wake up and know that you're right outside my door. I want the twins' constant chatter and Wyatt's manic behavior. I just want everything I had before I acted like a narcissistic asshole." He says and brings his forehead to mine so we are mere inches apart.

"You hurt me Nathan. You promised to keep me safe and then you broke me." I say softly, not making any move to back away. He lets out a pained sigh and I can see the guilt flashing in his features.

"I know, baby and I'm so sorry. I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I'm begging you to give me a chance. I will make this right, I promise you. If I have to, I will spend the rest of my life proving to you I can be the man you thought I was. Please, just give me a chance to do that." He says. I can hear how broken his voice sounds and there is no hesitation in my answer. I love this man, no matter what he does, I will always love him.

"Ok." I say quietly. He clearly wasn't expecting me to say that because he continues to ramble on.

"I've got a lot of work to do, but I won't give up. I'll fight for you. Every damn day. And I won't let a single thing hurt you, even me. Because of that, if you say so, I will walk away right now. I'll walk away and let you be happy. It will shatter my heart to pieces, but that's what I deserve. I just want you to be happy, Lainey." He keeps on.

I let out a low chuckle and he looks at me confused. Placing my hands on either side of his face, I grip him and pull him closer. Staring into his confused eyes, I know that I never had a chance. I let out another laugh.

"I said ok, you crazy man. I love you and I'm giving you a second chance."

It takes a moment for my words to sink in, but when they do his face lights up in pure joy. He pulls me into a hug and swings me off my feet, repeating 'Thank you' over and over again. I continue laughing until he sets me down and our foreheads are once again put together.

"But Nate. Don't do this again. I won't survive it. I love you, but you will lose me if I can't trust you. You have to show me that I can. Never show me that other man again, please." I stress to him. He grips my face and pulls me into a kiss that feels like home. When we break apart for air, he looks right into my eyes with the most sincere face I've ever since.

"Never again, baby. I promise. I'll prove to you that I can be the man you hoped I was. I'll never break your trust again. I won't do anything to ruin my second chance because I love you and absolutely cannot live without you. You're it for me, Angel. I won't do anything to risk my heart." He replies without an ounce of hesitation in his words.

There was no way you were staying mad at him.

Hey, I held out for a week. A long, miserable week that I never want to experience again. But I wasn't lying when I said that to him. I don't want to, but I will walk away if I need to.

I have a feeling you're never going to need to.

Ya, me too.

____________________

The chills and pain racking my body, from sleeping outside all night are immediately forgotten when Lainey says the words I've been waiting to hear for a week.

"I said ok, you crazy man. I love you and I'm giving you a second chance."

I pick her up and spin her around, all the while repeating 'thank you' like a mad man. I'm finally getting my second chance and there's no way in hell I'm blowing it. I place our foreheads together again, at the same time I hear her melodic voice whisper to me.

"But Nate. Don't do this again. I won't survive it. I love you, but you will lose me if I can't trust you. You have to show me that I can. Never show me that other man again, please." She says sternly.

Not being able to go another second without touching her, I take a chance and crash my lips onto hers. It wasn't a long kiss, but it still shot fireworks into the sky, the same it always does when we touch. I can't believe I almost lost that forever. Knowing, I never want to be without her again, I reply to her with absolutely no hesitation in my words.

"Never again, baby. I promise. I'll prove to you that I can be the man you hoped I was. I'll never break your trust again. I won't do anything to ruin my second chance because I love you and absolutely cannot live without you. You're it for me, Angel. I won't do anything to risk my heart."

That seems to do the trick because the small amount of fear and pain I saw in her eyes is washed away and replaced with love. She's not talking and I know she's probably doing that cute thing where she talks to herself in her head. All I can do is stare at her and think of how much I could've lost. I know I've got a long and difficult journey ahead of me, but I would climb Mount Everest for this angel. I will make her believe in us again, no matter how hard.

You're whipped man.

Yes, I am completely and hopelessly whipped for Adelaine Grace Scott. She owns me mind, body, and soul. And I couldn't be happier.