She really loved him. And maybe he didn't get the scope of it because she wasn't like him. Because she was stupid and didn't always express herself right. Because marriage, even to the person she loved more than anything, was a vaguely horrifying idea. But she did love him. She'd have been out the door long ago if that hadn't been the case. She needed to tell him. She knew she needed to stop being a coward and needed to start growing up. It just wasn't an easy thing to do.
"I do. I love you, too," she said quietly. "I really... love you." There were words that caught in her throat. She swallowed and took a breath, her eyes wide and on his face. "I'll be back." It sounded so bad. It felt cowardly, especially after his being comforting and saying the right things. But she just wanted to go away and think. "I need to figure out what I'm thinking. I can't here." She looked down. "I'm sorry."