“I force my voice to steady. "I just… I didn’t know if I could be what he needed. I didn’t want to hurt him, but I think I did anyway." Mr. Montgomery hums, like he’s processing. Then, softly—"Sometimes, the biggest risks are the ones worth taking. Sometimes that also means taking a step back and working on ourselves for a bit. You’ve had a rough go of it, Madison, I won’t lie to you. But you are a brilliant young lady. You are resilient, strong, smart, and my son has been head over heels for you since that boy first laid eyes on you.” I finally turn to look at him, and his expression is warm, understanding. "Sometimes, we have to take a step back and ask ourselves if the risk is worth the reward," he continues, "even with the potential heartache." With that, he pats my leg and heads back towards Jaxon’s room.”