For over a week, Tess had been feet

For over a week, Tess had been feet from him and yet, it had felt like miles. After Carter’s conversation with Travis yesterday, he’d come to a decision. It was time to live his life. Steph had wanted him to live. For him, for her, and their girls. The guilt he felt wasn’t fair to any of them. He’d loved Steph more than he thought he could ever love another woman. Loving Tess wasn’t a betrayal of that love, it was a testament to what they’d had that he could open himself up to love for a second time.
Carter’s own stubbornness had almost caused him to miss out on a chance at happiness. He wasn’t going to let it pass him by again. He reached out and smoothed an errant strand of hair away from Tess’s face. Her gaze softened, but the deep blue of her eyes still reflected the hurt he’d caused. He’d do whatever it took to make it up to her.
She didn’t respond to his lame attempt at an apology. Carter took a deep breath and held it for a moment. “I was scared Tess. Scared of what I felt and rather than admit that to you, admit that I was worried about how a new relationship might affect the girls, I pushed you away. I said a lot of things I didn’t mean and if I could, I’d take it all back. I’m sorry, Tess. I’m sorry I hurt you. I’ll do whatever it takes to make you forgive me. I…” He let out a gust of breath. “I’m in love with you.”
Tess’s soft mouth parted and it was all Carter could do not to lean down and kiss her.
“You’re in love with me.”
Carter’s heart leapt up into his throat at her monotone response. “I knew the second you stepped up to my back door to give me a piece of your mind that I’d fall in love with you, Tess. You’re so strong, so sure, so goddamned beautiful that I can’t breathe when I look at you. You’re so caring and soft. So passionate. The past week and a half without you almost ruined me. Jenny and Jane love you. They miss you.” He reached out and traced his fingertips over the silly penguin necklace draped around her neck. “I know you miss them too. Forgive me for being an asshole who hurt you. Forgive me for being too damned stubborn and scared and guilty to acknowledge what my own heart wanted. Let me make it up to you. Let me love you, Tess.”
Tears glistened in her brilliant eyes, and Carter’s chest clenched.
“Flowers would have been okay, you know,” she said through her tears. “And a hell of a lot cheaper than a contractor.”
Relief swamped him and Carter let out a slow, shaky breath. “Flowers wither. A sturdy barn lasts forever.”
She smiled. God he’d missed that smile. He took Tess in his arms and pulled her close, wrapping her tight in his embrace. Carter didn’t know how many minutes passed while they stood there, her body tucked against his, warm and soft. It felt so right to hold her. He never wanted to let her go.
“I never wanted to take anyone’s place or insert myself in your family, Carter.” Her voice muffled against his T-shirt as he wrapped her tighter in his arms. “I thought I could keep emotions out of it. That I could let that day between us be what it was and nothing more. But you made me feel something. Something real and intense. Something that I didn’t think I could afford to lose. You hurt me. I know you were trying to protect Jenny and Jane as much as yourself, but it still hurt.”
Carter felt her slipping away. Her body pulled away from his and his arms stiffened as though he could keep her right where she was. His heart thundered in his chest, adrenaline dumped into his bloodstream, and his gut bottomed out. He couldn’t bear to lose her.
Tess looked up into his eyes and a soft smile curved her mouth. “I’m a firm believer in second chances, Carter. I think we both deserve one, don’t you?”
“I’m still scared,” he said. It wouldn’t do either of them any good if he wasn’t honest with her. “I still have doubts. I don’t want the girls to be hurt if this doesn’t work out between us. I don’t know what’s appropriate. Hell, how do single parents date? I have no idea. They have to be my first priority, Tess. Always. You don’t have kids and—”
“Carter.” Tess stepped away from him. Her brow knitted and her lips gathered into a petulant pucker. “You have to stop trying to micromanage your future. I’m afraid of all of those things too. I don’t want to move in or move to Dallas or anything else. I don’t even want to spend the night. Not until you’re ready. Until I’m ready. And until Jenny and Jane are ready. And yeah, it might not work out. But we won’t know if we don’t at least give it a try.”
“I have no idea what I’m doing,” Carter said. “I don’t know how to date.”
“Trust me,” Tess said. “No one does. You just roll with the punches and see what happens.”
Carter reached out and took her hand in his. “I meant what I said, though. Tess, I love you. You don’t have to say it back. I just wanted you to know.”
“Daaaaaad!” A scream that could have shattered glass interrupted them and Carter turned toward the house. “Jane hit me!”
“Are you sure you want to be a part of this craziness?”

Hasil (Bahasa Indonesia) 1:

Untuk lebih dari seminggu, Tess telah kaki dari dia dan belum, itu telah merasa seperti miles. Setelah Carter percakapan dengan Travis kemarin, ia akan datang ke keputusan. Itu adalah waktu untuk menjalani hidupnya. Steph telah ingin dia hidup. Baginya, untuk dirinya, dan gadis-gadis mereka. Rasa bersalah yang dia merasa tidak adil untuk salah satu dari mereka. Dia telah mencintai Steph lebih dari dia pikir dia bisa pernah mencintai wanita lain. Mencintai Tess tidak pengkhianatan cinta itu, itu adalah sebuah bukti apa yang mereka punya bahwa ia bisa membuka dirinya untuk mencintai untuk kedua kalinya.Carter sendiri ketegaran hampir telah menyebabkan dia untuk melewatkan kesempatan kebahagiaan. Dia tidak akan membiarkan hal itu berlalu dia lagi. Dia mengulurkan tangan dan merapikan bandel helai rambut dari wajah Tess. Pandangan matanya melunak, tetapi biru, matanya masih tercermin terluka ia telah menyebabkan. Dia akan melakukan apa saja untuk membuatnya padanya.Dia tidak menanggapi upaya lumpuh nya permintaan maaf. Carter mengambil napas dalam-dalam dan memegangnya sejenak. "Saya merasa takut Tess. Takut apa yang saya merasa dan agak daripada mengakui bahwa kepada Anda, mengakui bahwa saya tidak khawatir tentang bagaimana hubungan baru yang mungkin mempengaruhi anak-anak, saya mendorong Anda pergi. Saya mengatakan banyak hal yang aku tidak bermaksud dan jika aku bisa, aku akan mengambil semuanya kembali. Saya minta maaf, Tess. Aku minta maaf aku menyakitimu. Aku akan melakukan apa yang diperlukan untuk membuat Anda memaafkan saya. Saya... " Dia membiarkan embusan napas. "Aku jatuh cinta dengan Anda."Tess lembut mulut berpisah dan itu semua Carter bisa melakukan tidak untuk bersandar ke bawah dan menciumnya."Kau cinta dengan saya."Carter jantung melompat naik ke tenggorokan di tanggapannya monoton. "Aku tahu kedua Anda melangkah ke pintu belakang saya untuk memberikan sepotong pikiran Anda bahwa saya akan jatuh cinta dengan Anda, Tess. Kau begitu kuat, begitu yakin, sangat gorila indah bahwa aku tidak bisa bernapas ketika saya melihat Anda. Kau begitu peduli dan lembut. Sangat bersemangat. Minggu dan satu setengah tanpa Anda hampir hancur saya. Jenny dan Jane mencintaimu. Mereka rindu padamu." Dia mengulurkan tangan dan ditelusuri jari Nya atas kalung konyol penguin yang dikalungkan di lehernya. "Aku tahu kau merindukan mereka terlalu. Maafkan aku karena bajingan yang menyakiti Anda. Maafkan aku karena terlalu terkutuk keras kepala dan takut dan bersalah untuk mengakui apa yang inginkan hati saya sendiri. Biarkan aku membuat Anda. Biarkan aku mencintaimu, Tess."Glistened air mata di matanya yang brilian, dan mengepalkan Carter dada."Bunga akan menjadi apa-apa, Anda tahu," katanya melalui matanya. "Dan neraka yang jauh lebih murah daripada kontraktor."Bantuan kebanjiran dia dan Carter mengeluarkan napas lambat, gemetar. "Bunga layu. Sebuah gudang yang kokoh berlangsung selamanya."Dia tersenyum. Allah ia merindukan itu tersenyum. Dia mengambil Tess di tangannya dan menariknya menutup, membungkus dia ketat dalam pelukan-Nya. Carter tidak tahu berapa banyak menit berlalu sementara mereka berdiri di sana, tubuhnya terselip terhadap Nya, hangat dan lembut. Rasanya begitu tepat untuk memeluknya. Dia tidak pernah ingin membiarkannya pergi.“I never wanted to take anyone’s place or insert myself in your family, Carter.” Her voice muffled against his T-shirt as he wrapped her tighter in his arms. “I thought I could keep emotions out of it. That I could let that day between us be what it was and nothing more. But you made me feel something. Something real and intense. Something that I didn’t think I could afford to lose. You hurt me. I know you were trying to protect Jenny and Jane as much as yourself, but it still hurt.”Carter felt her slipping away. Her body pulled away from his and his arms stiffened as though he could keep her right where she was. His heart thundered in his chest, adrenaline dumped into his bloodstream, and his gut bottomed out. He couldn’t bear to lose her.Tess looked up into his eyes and a soft smile curved her mouth. “I’m a firm believer in second chances, Carter. I think we both deserve one, don’t you?”“I’m still scared,” he said. It wouldn’t do either of them any good if he wasn’t honest with her. “I still have doubts. I don’t want the girls to be hurt if this doesn’t work out between us. I don’t know what’s appropriate. Hell, how do single parents date? I have no idea. They have to be my first priority, Tess. Always. You don’t have kids and—”“Carter.” Tess stepped away from him. Her brow knitted and her lips gathered into a petulant pucker. “You have to stop trying to micromanage your future. I’m afraid of all of those things too. I don’t want to move in or move to Dallas or anything else. I don’t even want to spend the night. Not until you’re ready. Until I’m ready. And until Jenny and Jane are ready. And yeah, it might not work out. But we won’t know if we don’t at least give it a try.”“I have no idea what I’m doing,” Carter said. “I don’t know how to date.”“Trust me,” Tess said. “No one does. You just roll with the punches and see what happens.”Carter reached out and took her hand in his. “I meant what I said, though. Tess, I love you. You don’t have to say it back. I just wanted you to know.”“Daaaaaad!” A scream that could have shattered glass interrupted them and Carter turned toward the house. “Jane hit me!”“Are you sure you want to be a part of this craziness?”