Grace offered a faint smile, trying to ease the knot in her chest. "I'm not competing with her." At least not anymore after that self scolding she gave herself a while ago and especially now that she's heard about the cause of her death.
"I know how much she must have meant to him, and that's not something I want to challenge."
"You don't have to," Caden reassured. "Jace loved Marianna, yes, but he loves you now. You're different for him. You bring out a side of him I thought was long gone and other parts I never thought existed."
Grace took a deep breath, her fingers playing with the hem of her shirt. She wasn't sure what to say to that. But at the same time, there was a strange sense of peace knowing that she wasn't expected to be a replacement for someone who couldn't be replaced.
Caden gave her a sidelong glance. "I'm telling you this because… I've seen how happy you make him. Just… be careful. He really loves you, and I don't think he can cope if anything happens to you."
