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Chapter Twenty-Six
"Thanks for going with me,"Holly told Jake as they walked hand-in-hand along the beach. The sun was quickly setting, coating everything in yellows and oranges and reds.
They had spent most of the day in Miami with Holly's family. She had wanted to get back on the road right away, knowing Cara was already doing her a huge favor by managing everything while she was gone. But since she had already neglected her family enough in the pursuit of one job, she wasn't about to do it again and had agreed to stick around for a bit.
Which meant it was almost nightfall by the time they'd arrived back at the inn.
The inn hadn't burned to the ground in her absence, and between the time she had spent with her kids and the long drive back down to the islands, Holly had had a lot of time to think. And, for the first time in about a year, she wasn't afraid to be left alone with her thoughts for an extended period.
"Anytime. Just try not to get on the IRS's bad side again," Jake told her, flashing her a wide grin.
Holly rolled her eyes. As if Jake needed more ammunition to tease her about. It was bad enough he knew her childhood secrets. But he was just so easy to talk to and be around, and there was no one she trusted quite like him.
"I was thinking," Holly said, changing the subject abruptly. "I've spent too much time neglecting my family. I was in such a rush to get away from here, and I had left everyone I cared about behind. I think I'm going to reach out to Rina and Amy, see if I can get them back to the house for at least a little while. Mom's got her seventieth birthday coming up soon, and I figure that's the perfect chance to get everyone together again."
Jake nodded. He squeezed her hand and then turned to pull her into his arms. "I think that's a wonderful idea. What does that mean for us, then?"
"What do you want it to mean?" Holly chewed on her bottom lip as she looked up at him. She'd been having these thoughts about Jake since she'd first laid eyes on him at Melissa's party. Now, it was time to find out if he felt the same way or if she was the only one getting lost in nostalgic memories.
"I think you know what I want, Holly. I want you. I've missed you more than I ever thought I would. I always figured we were young, that I would find someone else to share my life with. But after all those years, I never did. Not until you walked back into my life."
Holly's throat tightened as she nodded. Those were the words she had wanted to hear, but that didn't stop her heart from racing faster and faster with each passing moment. "Then I think we should give it a shot again. See where life takes us."
"I like the sound of that."
Jake moved as if in slow motion. Holly watched wide-eyed as his face inched closer and closer to hers. When their lips finally touched, it sent off a cascade of explosions throughout her body as they kissed. She leaned against him, closing her eyes and letting the warmth from the setting sun wash over them.
Maybe forty-six really wasn't too late to start over again, after all.
