Page 82 of Regrets

She grabs three plates from the cabinet, placing the omelets on them.

“Fight for her, Linc.”

I nod my head as P walks back in, her hair down and wet, wearing jean shorts and a thin strapped tank top.

I will.

44

PENELOPE

“Okay, you guys have fun. I’ll be back later.”

I smile at Lola as she grabs her purse and opens the front door of our house. We had a great day showing Linc around our California. He’d been here a couple of times, but we showed him all of our new favorite places, like the café we go to at least twice a week and the boardwalk near our house.

“You really need to go to the office tonight?” I ask Lola.

She kicks her shoulder up casually with a Sterling smile. “Nope.” She waves with her keys in hand and leaves.

Linc matches her grin and then turns to me. “You wanna go for a swim?”

His seemingly innocent question sends butterflies through my stomach because it’s laced in lust. “I’ll go get my suit on.”

“I don’t remember you needing a suit.” He’s sitting close to me on the living room sofa, and I’m trying to keep my head straight. I’ve missed him every second since I moved away two years ago. Every. Single. Day.

I wake up, and my first thought is about him.

But I don’t want to get hurt. And I don’t want to feel guilty like I used to.

I turn to look him in the eye, tucking one leg under me. “I’m afraid.”

Honesty is the best policy, I’ve decided. No secrets. They’re poison.

He takes my hand in his. “I’ll go get my trunks, but you better have a bikini. And then I’ll meet you outside.”

He’s changed. He’s the same Linc, but he’s a more mature version. That much is clear. He goes to the guest room, and I change into my green bikini, meeting him outside our beautiful patio where you can walk out to an underground pool twelve feet away with the ocean visible from the pool.

“Pool? Or Ocean?” I ask, nearly afraid of the answer. The beach is quiet tonight, but there are a few people scattered around.

Damn, he looks good.Really good. Although his beard is gone and he’s clean shaven, which works for him, but so did the stubble. He’s tan and toned with sinewy muscles and defined, cut ridges. His face has only become more handsome in the last two years with the same smoldering look but less sad.Is that it? Is he happier?The muscles in his arms flex, and his abs tighten as he laughs, walking to me. “Relax, P. It’s still me.”

I’m showing my nerves. He stands before me, his eyes intense. “I know. It feels like it’s been forever.”

He takes my hand, and we walk to the edge of the pool. He sits down, letting his feet dangle into the pool. I follow his lead, doing the same. “What have you been up to?”

I try to think of everything I’ve done over the past two years. It’s been insanely busy, taking college courses and starting a business with Lola. “None of it seems important.”

He laughs, letting his feet play in the water. “Right. Starting a whole new life. No big deal.” He reaches his hand into the water,letting some pool in his hand and then flicking it at me. I squeal like a girl and smack his shoulder. He laughs again. “Tell me. I want to know all of it.”

I laugh with him and stretch my arms behind me, bracing my weight on my palms. “I’ve done a lot career-wise. Lola and I started our business, and we have a great client list.” I turn my head to look at him. “But somehow, none of it seems important enough to actually list. It’s like I’ve been on autopilot, doing what I needed to do.”

His lips slink up into a sexy grin. “I know exactly what you mean.”

“What have you been up to?”

“I have my real estate license.”

“Real estate? Really?”

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