Page 103 of Ranger's Wildflower

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“I didn’t know,” she continued. “Tessa, I didn’t know…”

My jaw tightened.

“I told you,” I said quietly.

Silence.

Heavy.

Painful.

“I thought…” her voice broke. “I thought you were just trying to—”

“To save myself?” I finished.

Another silence.

Then—

“Yes.”

The honesty of it hit harder than I expected.

Not because it was new.

Because it wasn’t.

“I wasn’t,” I said.

“I see that now.”

I closed my eyes briefly.

Seven years too late.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

My chest tightened.

But it didn’t break me.

Not this time.

“I can’t do this right now,” I said.

“I understand,” she said quickly. “I just… I needed you to know… I’m sorry.”

I swallowed hard.

“Okay.”

It wasn’t forgiveness.

Not yet.

But it was something.

“I’ll call you later,” she said.

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