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I began to dust over each book’s spine, pausing when I spotted some of my grandmother’s favorites. They were worn around the edges; some even had folded pages where she had left off reading. It made me smile; I always said I’d get around to reading some of them one day. I pulled out three of her favorites and shuffled them around before dropping them on the desk.
Closing my eyes, I reached out randomly for one and picked it up. When I opened my eyes, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the cover of a handsome pirate with long hair embracing a brunette beauty.
“This is going to be interesting,” I muttered, pulling the desk chair out so I could sit down. I figured I might as well read a few pages. However, my phone rang in the living room the second I sat down.
I sprinted into the hallway and spotted my phone glowing on the coffee table. Nyla’s name was flashing on the screen.
“Hey,” I answered, walking back into the library and taking a deep breath.
“Hey, girl. You doing okay?”
“For the most part,” I said, eyes drifting to the doorway of my grandmother’s room. A tingle of trepidation prickled my skin. One way or another, I was going to find the courage to go in there today. “What are you doing right now? Figured you’d be running around the hospital like a mad woman.”
Nyla chuckled from the other end of the line. “Believe it or not, it’s slow today. I thought I’d call you and let you know that I’ll be heading down to see you next week. I took the summer off, too. So, you can sell the house after that if you want, but keep it for a little longer so I can see this amazing place you’ve always talked about.”
A gasp escaped my lips; this was the best news I’d heard in a long time. My heart leaped joyfully as I lifted the duster, swishing it enthusiastically across more bookshelves.
“Seriously?” I squealed, unable to contain my smile. “This is going to be awesome. I’ll be able to take you to all my favorite spots. You’ll love it here.” Having her around would make things so much easier to bear.
“What all have you been doing the past few days?”
I set the duster on the desk and sat in the chair. “Well, I think the visitors have stopped coming around. I cleaned the house yesterday, and today, I’m actually going to go into my grandmother’s room for the first time. I just don’t know when yet.”
Nyla sighed. “You can do it, Everleigh. Who knows, maybe it’ll comfort you to be surrounded by her things.”
That’s what I was hoping.
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” I agreed.
“Have you caught up with any of your oldfriends?” she asked curiously, emphasizing the word “friends.”
I knew who she was asking about. She knew about Jensen and what I did as far as running away from him. Other than that, I haven’t spoken much about him. My goal for the past few years had been to forget about him, but of course, that was never going to happen.
“I’ve seen a few,” I told her, tracing my finger around a circular stain on the desk.
“O-kay,” she drawled out. “Like who?”
I snorted. “I haven’t seen Jensen, Nyla. I know that’s what you’re asking.”
She chuckled. “Hey, I was just curious. He’s your long-lost love that you let slip away.”
“I swear, you and my grandmother would’ve gotten along perfectly. She loved throwing that in my face all the time.”
Nyla’s laughter faded away. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t give you a hard time right now.”
“It’s okay,” I said, hoping she could hear the truth in my voice. “Jensen is still on his boat. I’m a little nervous about seeing him, which I know is inevitable.”
“What are you going to say to him?” she questioned.
Visions of his wife came to mind, all glowing in baby bliss. “Probably congratulations,” I revealed. “I saw his wife yesterday.”
“Congratulations? What for?” Then she gasped. “Oh my God, is she pregnant?”
I stood and grabbed the pirate romance book off the desk. “Yep. And she’s as gorgeous as ever.”
My chest tightened with regret, a feeling I thought I’d be used to by now. “She said Jensen would love to catch up with me, but I have a feeling she doesn’t know our true past.”
“Oh wow. That has to be awkward.”
