Brooks:
I wasn’t the serious type. Never have been. I lived in the moment, let my instincts guide me, and never gave much thought to the emotional side of things. That was always someone else’s problem. My emotions? They were locked away, buried deep, because I didn’t need them.
But this? This was different.
The moment she called me mate, something inside of me clicked. It wasn’t just a word. It wasn’t just some flippant thing people said when they were in love or found someone special. No, it was a deep, primal truth.
I needed her.
That word, "mate," hit me in a way I never expected. It left me breathless, left me reeling. And all I could think of was her. Hattie. The way she smelled, the way she fit perfectly in my arms. The way her soft skin felt against mine. She was my everyt
