"Amelia," Nickolas calls out, his hand gently waving in front of my face to recapture my attention.

I blink, my mind snapping back to the present. "Sorry, what did you just say?" I ask, my voice trembling slightly as I stare at him.

"I was..." he begins, but I can't bear to let him finish. The raw vulnerability in his eyes is too much.

"Don't repeat it," I interrupt quickly, my heart aching for him. I can only imagine the courage it took for him to reveal to me the first time.

"Amelia," he continues, his voice barely above a whisper, "I know it's a lot to take in, and...