This weekend, I'm sharing a bit of The Scholar's Heart. In this snippet, Tristan's baby daughter has been kidnapped, and Etan is trying to be there for him—if Tristan will let him.
“You don’t have to treat me as if I’m fragile. I’m going to be strong for Bria. I’m not going to break.” Tristan’s voice was strained, but his tone was strong as he straightened his spine, pulling away from Etan an infinitesimal amount that Etan nevertheless felt.
“You can, you know,” he said quietly, trying to convey all his feelings, all that he would do for Tristan in just his voice as he spoke the words. “You can break if you need to, here, with me. I’ll be here, and I’ll hold on to you, and I’ll help you put the pieces back together.”