She thought Derrick cared for her very deeply. Perhaps he had for a long time, judging by his past comments. But he hadn’t told her he loved her. Perhaps he was merely waiting for her to say it first. He’d already risked so much, and she could understand why he wouldn’t want to put himself out there before knowing exactly where she stood. If he could do so much for her and be so patient while she got her head together, the least she could do was take the first step and put everything on the line. But what if he didn’t believe her? What if it was too soon and too fast? Would he think she was so caught up in the moment that her emotions ruled all else? Her brow furrowed in concentration. Karla and Sophia both looked curiously at her but neither spoke, though question was obvious in their