Page 79 of When You Were Mine

She slid her feet back into worn shearling slippers, grabbed her key card, and hurried out the door. The thrill of it should’ve been a warning. It was her childhood all over again. Pebbles at her window, a note slipped into her hand before fifth period, his tires spitting out gravel as he jerked the steering wheel to take her on a spur-of-the-moment adventure.

But she didn’t care. Anticipation pumped through her, fueling her steps, until she burst outside into the freezing cold night. People lined the wharf, heads tipped back, and even while she knew to look up at the sky, her gaze traveled from one silhouette to the next until it landed expertly on his.

Turned out, nothing was more familiar than his shape, size, and mannerisms.

Of course, he found her too. And the joy lighting his features outrivaled the spectacle in the sky. Standing a head and shoulders taller than anyone else around him, he waved her over.

Excitement burst in her chest, sparks raining down inside her, and she broke into a run. When she reached him, he clutched her shoulders and took in her features as if he had so much to say but couldn’t find the words.

Only when someone said, “I can’t believe it. I’ve waited a lifetime to see this,” did she jolt back to the moment and pay attention.

Emerald-green ribbons of light rippled and swirled against the midnight sky. “Unbelievable.”

Trevor stood close, their bodies brushing against each other. She could feel the restraint in his clenched muscles, as though fighting against his need to wrap an arm around her waist.

It had always been like this, this compulsion to touch. In church, on hikes, at the rodeo, he had a hand on her, their thighs pressed together. Always.

It was so hard to stay in the moment, impossible to keep from crashing through the barrier of time and landing on the seat of his truck where his hands would grip her ass, moving her on him, her back hitting the steering wheel, her knee pressed to the door.

“Fuck. Fuck.Fuck. Elzy, my Elzy.”

Or when he’d come over for dinner, and she’d prop her feet on his knees under the table, his hand wrapping around her ankle.Possession. Connection.

Need. Yearning.

Love.

So much love.

People around them gasped, oohed, and aahed. And Jess forced herself to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime display of lights. After a minute, everyone grew so mesmerized, they stopped talking. The only sounds were the halyards clanking and water lapping against the dock.

When Trevor reached for her hand, she gazed up at him. The love and relief in his eyes both thrilled and warmed her.

And in that moment, she felt a shift. The weight pressing down on her chest lifted. The bindings around her heart broke free.

In their place, something new rushed in.

Forgiveness.

As they stood there, gazes locked, she could remember what they’d meant to each other. He’d been a great boyfriend—the best. She sincerely believed what they’d had was real.

And he was so young when he’d left her. So inexperienced.

Most importantly, he’d done what he believed was best for them.

I forgive you.

She didn’t know what it meant for them. Maybe nothing more than smiling when they drove past each other in Calamity. Or when she saw him through a restaurant window, she’d wave.

Oh, come on. Who are you kidding?

She didn’t think she’d ever get to a place where she could be pals with this man.

It was all or nothing, and she’d gotten theclosureshe needed.

Anything more would just be torture.

She was done.

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