Amber was disillusioned with love, but sparks flew when she met her father’s old friend, Steve, at a barbecue. Their whirlwind romance quickly led to marriage, and everything seemed perfect. But on their wedding night, Amber discovered that Steve had a disturbing secret that changed everything.
I stopped the car near my parents’ house and looked at the row of cars parked on the lawn.
‘What’s going on here?’ I muttered, bracing myself for another family surprise.
I grabbed my handbag, locked the car, and headed for the house, hoping that things wouldn’t be too chaotic inside.
As soon as I opened the door, I was greeted by the smell of grilled meat and my father’s loud laughter. I walked into the living room and looked out the window.
Sure enough, my father had organised an impromptu barbecue. The entire backyard was filled with people, mostly from his auto repair shop.
‘Amber!’ My father’s voice interrupted my thoughts. He was flipping a burger in his old apron. ‘Come on over, grab something to drink and join us. It’s just the guys from work.’
I tried not to roll my eyes. ‘Looks like the whole town is here,’ I muttered, taking off my shoes.
Before I had a chance to blend into the familiar chaotic atmosphere, the doorbell rang. My father put down the spatula and wiped his hands on his apron.
‘That must be Steve,’ he said, more to himself than to me. He looked at me as he headed for the door. ‘You haven’t met him yet, have you?’
Before I could answer, he had already opened the door.
‘Steve!’ he said loudly, slapping the man on the back. ‘Come in, you’re just in time. Oh, meet my daughter, Amber.’
I looked up, and my heart skipped a beat.
Steve was tall, slightly unshaven, with grey streaks in his hair and eyes that seemed both warm and deep. He smiled, and I felt a strange excitement that I wasn’t prepared for.
‘Nice to meet you, Amber,’ he said, extending his hand.
His voice was calm and confident. I shook his hand, feeling a little embarrassed about how I looked after the long journey.
‘Nice to meet you too.’
Since then, I couldn’t stop stealing glances at him. He was the kind of person who created a cosy atmosphere around him, listening more than talking. I tried to focus on the conversations around me, but every time our eyes met, I felt this strange magnetism.
It was silly. I had long since stopped thinking about love or relationships. Not after everything that had happened to me.
I had practically given up on finding ‘the one’ and focused on work and family. But something about Steve made me think about trying again, even if I wasn’t ready to admit it.
As the evening drew to a close, I said goodbye to the guests and headed for my car. Of course, when I tried to start it, the engine coughed and stalled.
‘Great,’ I muttered, leaning back in my seat. I thought about going back to ask my father for help, but then there was a knock on the window.
It was Steve.
‘Problems with the car?’ he asked, smiling as if this happened every day.
I sighed. ‘Yes, it won’t start. I was just about to call my dad, but…’
‘Don’t worry. Let me take a look,’ he offered, already rolling up his sleeves.
I watched him work, his hands moving confidently and deftly. A few minutes later, the engine purred. I didn’t even realise I had been holding my breath until I exhaled.
‘There you go,’ he said, wiping his hands with a rag. ‘It should be fine now.’
I smiled, sincerely grateful. ‘Thank you, Steve. I guess I owe you one.’
He shrugged and looked at me in a way that made my heart skip a beat. ‘How about dinner? We’ll call it even.’
I froze for a second. Dinner? Was he asking me out on a date?
I felt the familiar doubt, a little voice in my head reminding me of all the reasons not to say yes. But something in his eyes made me take the risk.
‘Yes, dinner sounds nice.’
And that’s how I agreed. At the time, I couldn’t have imagined that Steve would be the one to heal my heart… or the one to cause me so much pain.
Six months later, I stood in front of the mirror in my childhood bedroom, looking at myself in my wedding dress. It all seemed unreal. After everything I had been through, I didn’t think this day would ever come.
I was 39 years old and had long since stopped believing in fairy tales, but here I was, about to marry Steve.
The wedding was small, just close family and a few friends, just as we wanted.
I remember standing at the altar, looking into Steve’s eyes and feeling incredibly calm. For the first time in a long time, I had no doubts.
‘I do,’ I whispered, barely holding back my tears.
‘I do,’ Steve replied, his voice trembling with emotion.
And that’s how we became husband and wife.
That evening, after all the congratulations and hugs, we were finally alone. Steve’s house, which was now my house too, was quiet, and the rooms still felt unfamiliar to me. I went into the bathroom to change into something more comfortable, my heart filled with joy.
But when I returned to the bedroom, I was met with a shocking sight.
Steve was sitting on the edge of the bed with his back to me, talking quietly to someone… someone who wasn’t there.
My heart skipped a beat.
‘I wanted you to see this, Stacey. Today was a perfect day… I’m sorry you couldn’t be here.’ His voice was soft, filled with emotion.
I froze in the doorway, trying to comprehend what I was hearing.
‘Steve?’ My voice was quiet and uncertain.
He slowly turned around, and a look of guilt flashed across his face.
‘Amber, I…’
I moved closer, feeling the tension in the air between us. ‘Who… who were you talking to?’
He sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping. ‘I was talking to Stacey. My daughter.’
I looked at him, slowly processing his words. He said he had a daughter. I knew she had died. But I didn’t know… about this.
‘She died in a car accident with her mother,’ he continued, his voice trembling. “But sometimes I talk to her. I know it sounds strange, but I just… feel like she’s still here. Especially today. I wanted her to know about you. I wanted her to see how happy I am.”
I didn’t know what to say. My heart ached, and I couldn’t breathe. Steve’s grief was raw, almost tangible, and that made it even harder.
But I wasn’t afraid. I didn’t feel anger. Only… sadness. Sadness for him, for everything he had lost, for how he had carried that pain alone. His grief hurt me as if it were my own.
I sat down next to him, my hand finding his. ‘I understand,’ I said softly. ‘Really. You’re not crazy, Steve. You’re just grieving.’
He exhaled, his breath uneven, and looked at me with such vulnerability that it nearly broke my heart. ‘I’m sorry. I should have told you sooner. I just didn’t want to scare you.’
‘You didn’t scare me,’ I replied, squeezing his hand. ‘We all have things that haunt us. But now we’re together. And we can deal with it together.’
Steve’s eyes filled with tears, and I hugged him, feeling all his pain, his love, his fear — all mixed together in that moment.
‘Maybe… maybe we should talk to someone about this. A therapist, for example. Now it’s not just you and Stacey.’
He nodded, his head resting on my shoulder, his embrace tightening. ‘I’ve been thinking about it. I just didn’t know where to start. Thank you for understanding, Amber. I didn’t even know how much I needed this.’
I pulled away to look into his eyes, and my heart overflowed with love deeper than I had ever felt before. ‘We’ll figure it out, Steve. Together.’
And when I kissed him, I knew we would. We weren’t perfect, but we were real, and for the first time, that seemed enough.
But that’s the point of love, isn’t it? It’s not about finding the perfect person without scars; it’s about finding the one whose scars you’re willing to accept.
