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“You were,” he maintains stubbornly, dipping his face nearer to mine. The boom of fireworks seems dim, but the sparkles are reflected in his darkened eyes. “You were the one and only. When I broke it off, I knew I’d never find that again. I knew the cost of what I was losing.”
“And you did it anyway.” Christ, the taste of those words is so fucking bitter.
“I already told you, it was the worst mistake of my life,” he says plain and simple. “I’m asking you to let me correct it.”
I can’t give him an answer. I turn away, glancing at Kiera and Bain standing next to us a few feet away. He’s got his arms wrapped around her, similar to how Callum is holding me. Both of their faces are upturned to the fireworks and they’re paying us no mind.
My attention swings back to Callum and I note the message in his gaze that says his determination increases with every second I withhold my answer.
“I don’t know,” I finally say because the jumble of emotions running through me is so confusing.
Say yes.
Say no.
Run.
Stay.
“At least tell me the answer isn’t no,” he demands, his jawline taut with tension but it’s the regret I see deep in his eyes that motivates me.
I press my palm to his cheek. “The answer isn’t no.”
That seems to be enough because I get a panty-melting smile before he takes my hand away from his face, wraps his arms back around me in another cocoon, and turns me back toward the fireworks show.
CHAPTER 19
Callum
The last four days since I made my intentions known to Juniper have been hell. I want her back and the minute the words were out of my mouth, I knew they were fucking right.
Since then, I haven’t quite figured out what to do with her. She didn’t shut me out, which is good.
No, great.
Because if Juniper were to tell me that she can’t be open to the possibility, I’d have to let her move on.
Liar.
Yeah, I’m a liar. I’d do whatever it takes to change her mind.
The door is open though, and I have no clue what to do. I’m like a seventeen-year-old kid again, meeting her for the first time. Except now I don’t have any of that brash confidence I had back then when it was easy to impress a fifteen-year-old girl. Now, I’ve got a real woman on my hands who has been through hell and back. Juniper is starting her life over again and while I know her so well, she’s not the same person I broke up with fifteen years ago.
I just have to figure out how to win over the new Juniper Ryan.
Tonight will be a prime opportunity. She’s my date for Sophie and Baden’s evening wedding and while I’ve played it cool with her the last four days as we settled back into sharing a house and a life on a very non-romantic basis, I couldn’t control my reaction when she came down the stairs tonight dressed for the nuptials.
Since it’s an evening wedding, it’s a black-tie affair and I had four tuxedos to choose from. I selected the most contemporary one, which features a black, paisley-patterned, single-breasted jacket with thin satin lapels. It lends more of an opulent look, and given the wedding is at the Phipps Conservatory and everyone will be dressed to the nines, it was the only choice. I paired the tux with a crisp white dress shirt and because I’ve never been a fan of the bow tie, I chose a light silver-gray tie for some subtle contrast. A white pocket square for a touch of tradition, and I’m good to go.
It was Juniper though, descending those stairs in a gown borrowed from Ava that had me convinced I was just a tad too frumpy in comparison.
She’s a fucking goddess.
As she held on to the banister, navigating the steps in sexy, strappy sandals that peeked out from the hem of the swishy fabric, I held my breath. The dress is a stunning creation of gold satin with a fitted bodice curving into a gentle sweetheart neckline held up by thin halter straps. At her hips, it flares into a dramatic flowing train and the sheen is muted by some sort of frothy overlay that has embroidered flowers of paler gold on the lower portion. The color of the dress enhances her sun-kissed skin and the way she’s worn her hair loose and wavy is the epitome of the free-spirited girl I used to know.
When she smiled at me, those green eyes sparkling, I about swallowed my tongue. I did manage to get out, “You’re beautiful” as she came toe to toe with me.
She was demure, almost shy. “You clean up well yourself.”
