Page 96 of A Hard Habit to Break

Before Pete could respond, the elevator dinged. Amarie stepped out, looking exhausted. At finding them, her brows lowered, the lines bracketing her usual flawless mocha complexion relaxed.

“Mom’s asking for both of you,” she said, glancing between Noah and Rachel. Then she noticed Pete, and her expression cooled noticeably. “Excuse us, Mr. Judelson.”

The dismissal in her tone was unmistakable, and Pete seemed to finally understand that his presence wasn’t welcome. He straightened his tie and tried to recover some of his political composure.

“Of course. I just wanted to check on Mrs. Bethany’s condition and show community support. Please give her my regards.”He turned back to Noah, his expression unreadable. “I hope she recovers quickly from her… episode.”

The way Pete said “episode” made Noah’s stomach turn. As if Bethany’s diabetes diagnosis was trivial, and not a serious health condition that would require ongoing healthcare management.

“Not an episode, Pete,” Noah said coldly. “It was a diabetic emergency. This could have been prevented with better local healthcare access. The kind of healthcare you just championed to delay.”

Pete’s face tightened, but he didn’t respond. The man he thought of as his best friend left without another word, and Noah watched him go with a mixture of relief and profound sadness.

The irony of the situation blazed in him like a controlled burn. They stood in a hospital, having just learned that Bethany would recover, while his friendship with Pete died. He turned to Rachel, who was still sitting in her chair, staring at him with an expression he couldn’t read.

She stood up slowly, and for a heart-stopping moment, he thought she would walk away. Instead, she stepped closer, close enough that he could see the exhaustion and hurt and confusion in her eyes. “You really didn’t know,” she said softly. It wasn’t a question.

“No. If I had even suspected…” He shook his head. “I denied the kind of person he really was, because he praised my ego—you know, big fish tag team in a little pond. I let a possible promotion cloud my judgment on promises of forever.”

She studied his face for a long moment. Noah forced himself to stand still under her scrutiny, to let her see everything he felt.

“Sounds like a hard habit to break,” she said.

The answer came easily, without hesitation. “Not this time. Loyalty to the wrong person isn’t loyalty at all—it’s cowardice.”

“I believe you,” she said simply.

The relief that flooded through him was so intense it nearly brought him to his knees. “Thank you,” he managed.

“This doesn’t fix us,” she warned, and he could see her rebuilding her walls even as she spoke. She paused, seeming to choose her words carefully. “Actions matter more than words. You’ve said the right things before.”

The reference to their past stung, but he knew he deserved it. Noah felt something shift inside him—not just understanding, but determination. She was giving him a chance, but it was conditional. Fragile. And he’d have to prove himself worthy of it.

“I’ll never stop trying to make this right, Six,” Noah said firmly. “You and me. The clinic proposal. Whatever it takes, however we have to adjust, we’re going to make it happen. You’re worth it. Bethany deserves it. Our whole community.”

For the first time since the town hall disaster, Rachel’s smile reached her eyes. “We?”

“You’re Service’s only architect,so…?” The word hung between them, fragile but full of possibility. Noah felt his heart skip, but he forced himself to be realistic about what she was offering.

Rachel’s skin flushed, paled, grayed before his eyes, a visual playbook of her internal struggle. He felt it too—trust warring with hope, past hurt battling present need.

“Bethany needs our support right now. And Service needs that clinic. So yes, we’ll work together on this. But Noah”—her voice grew softer, more vulnerable—“that’s all I can promise.”

She nodded slowly, then surprised him by reaching out to take his hand. Her fingers were cold and trembling, but her gripwas careful… not the desperate clinging of earlier, but something more measured.

He threaded his fingers through hers, squeezing her tight, before he broke. “I messed up.”

“You did. And you saved Bethany from a worse fate.”

Peering into her eyes, he searched her gaze for understanding. “I hope that’s true.”

Rachel placed her palm over his heart. “You jumped into action, ignored what was being said about you, and focused on what Bethany needed. And I know, you’ll do it a hundred times more—put others first and do your best. That’s what makes you the hero… not winning.”

Noah looked down at their joined hands, feeling both gratitude and a weight lifted. This wasn’t forgiveness. It was being here for each other, a genuine friendship. He’d done his best for Bethany. And he committed to being a better partner for the woman he’d wanted for his wife his whole life.

“I love you, Rachel. I’ve always loved only you.”

“You should. All that stuff you told Pete about me… I’m amazing.”