“I wish you’d reached out…even just once.”
His eyes meet mine, something raw flickering in them. “I almost did. More times than I can count.”
“Why didn’t you?” I press, even though I already know the answer.
“Because I was afraid,” he admits, and the honesty in his voice catches me off guard. “I was afraid that if I started talking to you again, I wouldn’t be able to stay away. And I wasn’t ready to come back.”
“And now you are?”
He nods slowly, his gaze steady on mine. “Now I am.”
There’s no doubt in my mind that I still love him. Not the fantasy version I built up in college when I was lonely and stupid, but this version of him—the one I’ve always knownunderneath it all. Scarred, sincere, and flawed. The part of him that’s never changed, the part I saw on that tailgate, in those quiet glances, in every reckless laugh that hid something bigger. That’s the part I love, the part that has always been inside him, even when he hurt me.
Still, a little voice in the back of my mind whispers to guard my heart, to ask more questions, to make him prove that he means what he says. Even if that reckless part of me wants to lean across the table andfinallysee what his lips might feel like on mine.
I grab my milkshake, hoping the cold will chase away the warmth spreading across my cheeks. I take a long sip, letting the ice cream smooth over the heat in my body, then clear my throat, forcing the words out in a way that’s far too casual for what I’m feeling. “So,” I say, voice almost too light, “you’re back for good?”
He nods. “I bought a place just outside of Lily Ridge.”
The idea of him being so close, of potentially running into him at the grocery store or the coffee shop, stirs something fluttery in my chest. My pulse picks up just thinking about it, like he’s already living in the spaces between my routines, making them a little less predictable.
“And what about you?” he asks. “You like the clinic?”
“I love it there,” I say. “I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
Rowan’s eyes soften. “That’s perfect for you, Violet. I’m happy you’re happy.”
I give him a small smile because he’s right. I am happy most of the time. My life’s solid, the clinic is like a second home, my routines are comforting, and I’ve learned to find joy in the little things.
Yet…there’s a spot in my life where there’s a question that’s been left unanswered.
“And what about the rest of it?” Rowan asks, leaning forward. “Is there anyone waiting for you at home?”
I fight the urge to wince when Travis comes to mind. God…was it just this morning that everything fell apart?
“No,” I admit. “No one else.”
He nods, just once, his eyes never leaving mine. I can see the relief there, though he tries to hide it.
“What about you?” I ask, suddenly needing to know. “Anyone waiting for you to get back home?”
His mouth quirks up at one corner. “No. There’s never been anyone serious.”
“Never?” I can’t keep the surprise from my voice.
He shakes his head.
He’s single. I’m single. There’s nothing standing between us except this table and my hesitation. Wecouldjust pick up right where we left off, but that would be incredibly stupid.
I’ve already let him get closer than I meant to. Close enough that I catch myself slipping back into that pull that’s always been him. And for what? So he can leave again when it gets hard? So I can unravel all over again?
No. Not unless he’s sure this time. I’ve spent too long building myself back up. If I let him in again…
I set my napkin on the table and slide my milkshake away, the strawberry suddenly too sweet on my tongue.
“I should probably go,” I say, my voice steadier than what’s actually going on inside me. “Early shift tomorrow.”
He nods, and there’s unmistakable disappointment in his eyes, but he doesn’t push. That’s new. The Rowan I knew would have either shrugged it off or tried to convince me to stay.
