Chapter 49 Love's Echo

The breeze was soft, and Tia's mind slowly floated back from the depths of her thoughts. Aaron's gaze was so deep; it was like getting caught in a whirlpool, and she could not help but let it pull her under. "And you? Tia? How do you feel about me?" Aaron blurted out, sounding as anxious as a teen on his first date. He was desperate to know if the feeling was mutual. Tia was a whirlwind of emotions, and words just failed her. "I... I don't know..." Maybe Tia had started falling for Aaron a little earlier than she realized. His caring gestures, the glimpse of tenderness under his tough-guy shell, or that feeling of safety he gave her that she had never felt before could have been the reasons. She could not quite put her finger on the moment she had fallen for the man standing in front of her. It felt like she had been carrying this fondness for him for ages. Tia was all too aware of the deep love Aaron had for his late fiancée, and she never let herself dream that he might one