Page 75 of It Should Have Been You

I laugh, feeling the tension ease. “A knitting club, huh? Who knew I could be such a wild child?”

“Always living on the edge,” she teases, and despite my anxiety, we both burst into laughter.

As we pull into the driveway, I glance back at the girls sleeping in their car seats. Hannah’s chestnut hair frames her face, and Isabel’s cheeks are flushed with the warmth of sleep. The sudden stop jolts them both awake.

“Are we there yet?” Hannah asks, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

“Yep, we’re here, sweetheart,” I reply, forcing a smile despite the ever-churning knot in my stomach.

Isabel lets out a loud yawn and stretches her tiny hands over her head. “House,” she mumbles, not seeming the slightest bit fazed as she rests her head back again.

Stepping out of the car, I take Isabel from her seat. The moment her feet touch the ground, she starts toddling around, exploring her new surroundings with wide eyes.

“Look, Izzy!” Hannah calls out, pointing to the lake far off in the distance.

Too good to be true.It’s the only thing I can think of and mentally curse myself for it.

Kim nudges my arm and tilts her head towards the house with the black door. At first, it’s only a silhouette—broad shoulders almost filling the doorway, and so tall, I know how much I need to tip my head back when he’s close.

The man whose memory has been tucked away somewhere deep inside me for the past ten years.

His boots hit the steps with a thud, and my thirsty eyes drink in every step.

“I’m going to explore with the girls,” I hear Kim say.

I think I make a sound of agreement. I can’t be sure.

As he makes his way toward me, the sun catches his raven hair and the tense jaw I can somehow see even under his beard. He’s wearing black jeans and a simple white T-shirt that shows every contour of muscle. He exudes a casual confidence that seems so effortless.

His eyes meet mine, and his lips curl into a warm smile.

If I didn’t know any better, I would say he’s nervous too.

But I know better.

And Logan King doesn’t strike me as a man that gets nervous over anything.

“You made it,” he says, his voice rich and smooth.

“I did.”

He takes a step closer. It’s instinct when I take one back, and I hate it because I all I really want to do is drown in the musky scent of his cologne. I want to go back in time to a night when I didn’t know better. His hands slide into his pockets, the black ink on his arms seeming more vibrant in the afternoon sun.

I clear my throat, trying to find my voice. “Is this it?”

He has shades covering his eyes, but I wish I could see them. “This is it.”

My heart thumps in my chest as I take in the two houses, the rolling hills, the surrounding greenery, and the path of blossom tree petals blowing at my feet.

I love blossom trees.

My mind is playing tricks on me because this place feels familiar, but that’s impossible because I’ve never been here.

“You okay?” he asks, breaking my train of thought.

“Yeah, just… taking it all in.”

“Mom!” Hannah squeals, rushing towards us, her face bright red. She skids to a stop, her chest heaving from her sprint.

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