Chapter 221

 221:
“This looks so much better! I can’t believe it—thank you, Collin! I never would’ve caught that on my own.”
Then, narrowing her eyes, she teased, “Are you sure you’re just a layman?” If he were truly just a layman, he wouldn’t have noticed those details so easily.
Linsey watched him, her eyes bright with curiosity, but Collin only smiled, something warm flickering behind his gaze.
“By your logic,” he mused aloud, “I’ve graduated from clueless to mildly insightful.”
Then, after a short pause, he added more seriously, “I barely did anything. Your designs were already impressive—I just pointed out a couple of things. If you really want to give me credit, just say I put the cherry on top.”
She let out a soft laugh. “Wouldn’t that make me sound a little too full of myself?”
As she spoke, her thoughts drifted back to earlier that evening. Kylee, Collin’s childhood sweetheart, knew everything about him—his likes, his habits, the things that made him tick.
In contrast, she was his wife—but she realized she didn’t know him at all.
The realization made her heart sink, and her eyes dimmed slightly. Collin, ever observant, caught the shift in her mood. He frowned, his voice soft with concern. “Linsey, what’s wrong? You seem a little off.”
After a brief pause, he ventured a guess. “Is it because Kylee is moving in with us?”
“No,” Linsey answered quickly. Her gaze softened as she met his eyes. She couldn’t stop herself from blurting out her thoughts. “I just… realized that I don’t really know anything about you. I don’t know what you like to eat, that you’re allergic to chili, or that you collect antique watches. I feel like I’ve been such a terrible wife.”
His eyes softened as he looked at her, noticing the guilt in her expression. Then, unexpectedly, he smiled. He reached out, brushing his fingers gently across her furrowed brow. “That’s what’s bothering you?”
Seeing him laugh at her, Linsey felt a rush of embarrassment. She tried to pull her hand away, her voice tinged with frustration. “Collin, I’m being serious here.”
Lᴬtєѕτ chᴀρτєrs ιn g𝓪lɴovєl𝓈.𝒸о𝓂
But he didn’t let go. Instead, he took her hand in both of his, holding it gently yet firmly.
His gaze softened as he looked into her eyes. “Linsey, it’s okay. We started as strangers, just two lives that crossed by chance. We didn’t know each other well before, but now we have all the time in the world to learn about each other. Whatever you want to know, I’ll share with you. Whatever you want to see, I’ll show you.”
His smile was warm and reassuring, his voice steady. “There’s no need to feel bad about this. We’re in this together, and we’ll spend the rest of our lives learning and growing side by side.”
Linsey found herself drawn into Collin’s deep, soulful gaze, her heart fluttering at the affection she saw in his eyes.
She felt a soft tug at her chest, but after a brief pause, she pouted playfully. “I know you’re right, but… I can’t help it. Emotions have a way of spiraling out of control.”
Collin’s smile softened as he took a moment to reflect. “You’re right. It’s my fault. We met at the wedding, and since then, we haven’t really had the chance to just… be us. No real dates, no time to get to know each other outside of everything else.”
He thought for a second, then brightened. “How about this weekend? If you’re free, I’ll take you somewhere—somewhere that’ll let you get to know me better.”
Linsey raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Where are you taking me?”
With a playful grin, Collin leaned in just slightly and whispered, “It’s a secret.”
He gave her nose a gentle tap, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
The more Linsey thought about it, the more intrigued she became. Collin was keeping a secret, and the mystery of it all made her even more eager to find out what it was.
.
.
.