Page 6

The air crackles with everything we're not saying, and I'm struggling to breathe through it all. I should have seen it coming. I thought I could handle a simple lunch, a quick catch-up, and then get back to my neatly guarded life. Nope. Not happening.

I'm at a loss; my carefully crafted defenses are crumbling. I reach for the bread at the same time he does, and our hands touch. It’s the tiniest brush, but there’s that same old spark, jolting through me like a live wire. My pulse skyrockets and my instincts scream at me to grab my purse and bolt. I pull my hand back instead, pretending I was going for the butter.

He lets out a breath that sounds almost like relief. "Tell me about your job."

I'm not ready for that question or for the genuine interest behind it. "It’s great." I curse the brevity of my response and scramble to sound more put together. "I used our charitable foundation to start a literacy program for low-income families. There’s always a lot to be done."

"I'm proud of you," he says, and his words envelop me, creating a warm feeling in my stomach.

I nod, uncomfortable with how easily he can get under my skin. "Not exactly San Francisco Riptide level, but I'm working on it."

"You don’t give yourself enough credit," he says, and I have to look away before my heart catches fire. “You never did realize how much power you hold.”

Help. The protective shell guarding my heart is shattering, and there isn’t anything I can do to stop it.

He watches me intently, his eyes probing as if he's deciphering all the silent confessions I'm withholding. His gaze briefly drops to the table, tracing invisible patterns on its surface before meeting mine once more as I inquire, "Why’d you come back?"

“Because I couldn’t stay away any longer.” His words hang in the air, charged with unspoken emotions. What does he mean by that?

I part my lips to respond, but the words elude me, caught somewhere between thought and speech. What am I supposed to say? After a moment of hesitation, I finally manage, "Missed your family?"

His eyes, now deepening like a gathering storm, lock onto mine with a fervor that leaves no room for misinterpretation. “I missed the center of my universe,” he declares with unwavering resolve. “And I’m determined to get her back.”

The weight of his declaration hits me like a tidal wave, leaving me breathless and at a crossroads.

In that instant, the weight of a monumental choice settles on my shoulders. I realize I must decide whether to play it safe, keeping my emotions guarded, or reach for something extraordinary, risking it all for a chance at love.

"I'm not going anywhere, Maggie." The promise hangs between us, so solid I could reach out and touch it. “This time I’m not going to let you go.”

“We’ll see.” My heart urges me to believe every word, while my brain insists I proceed with caution.

I blink when he reaches across the table, and his thumb grazes the corner of my mouth. "Missed a spot," he says, his touch lingering just long enough to start a bonfire in my chest.

Our eyes lock, and I swear I feel the world tremble under my feet. I fight back the fear, knowing I want him and can’t fight it anymore.