Page 21 of Uniquely in Love

“How could I not?” It was a whispered omission. It was the problem with everything. That I’d never stopped. That I loved him was why I’d had to leave.

She cupped my face, her gray eyes—so much like mine—boring into my own. “Then, my sweet girl, what are youstill doing here?”

I frowned. “What do you mean, Mom? I can’t exactly chase after him. He went back to Seattle. I’m working on getting a job here, and finding a place to live, and—” There weren’t very many openings in the area for elementary teachers, and the ones that had been were snatched up quickly. Still, I’d been reaching out to schools. I’d graduated with my degree and my teaching credential in four years, which should have made it easier to find a position.

“Is that what you want?” She repeated her question from earlier.

“What do you mean?”

“Portland isn’t the only place where you can teach elementary school, hun.”

I blinked. “Huh? Mom, I can’t just…”Leave Portland. My family, my home? Sure, both of my siblings had already done it, but I’d never even considered moving away from home.Except when I’d been planning on going to college with Owen.A nagging voice in my head reminded me of the fact that I’d changed my entire life plan once before. I could do it again.

“If I’d never left California and moved to Portland for college, I never would have met your dadormy best friends. And if I had to do it all over again, I would. Because it brought me the most important people in the world. You, Abigail and Beau were the best things I could have ever asked for.”

“But that was different, Mom,” I insisted.

“How so?” She crossed her arms over her chest.

Because she hadn’t moved to Portland for a boy. She’d moved there for herself. “I can’t believe you’re seriously telling me to move to Seattle and chase after a boy.”

“Ah, but he’s not just any boy, is he?”

I shook my head. No. No, he wasn’t.

“Dad was your best friend, right?” I laid down, stretching out my legs across the couch and dropping my head on my mom’s lap like I had when I was little.

She chuckled. “He was. We did everything together. The girls weren’t even surprised when I announced we were getting married.” My mom shrugged. “I loved him more than anything, but I was terrified that being together like that would ruin everything.”

“But it didn’t.”

“No.” There was a smile on her face. “I know you’ll have that too some day, Ellie.”

“How can you possibly know that?” I whispered.

“Because I watched you grow up. I know how you two looked at each other. But even if you and Owen aren’t meant to be, it’s time to go live your life. Don’t let your fear and worries hold you back. You can always find an excuse to keep yourself from the things you really want, but you’ll always wonder what if. What if I took the chance? What if I took the job? What if I moved to a new city? What if I fell in love?” It was really hard to argue with her, so I didn’t.

I wasn’t sure I was ready for that, but I couldn’t deny that a part of me longed for everything that she was saying. That she knew me in a way I hardly knew myself.

“And if all I want is to bury my head in the sand or hide under a pile of blankets?” I whispered. Maybe I could live under a rock. Keep my TV turned off during hockey season.

“You can lick those wounds as long as you need, sweetie.” She squeezed my shoulder. “I’ll still be here when you decide it is time to come out of hiding.”

Hadn’t five years of punishing myself been enough? Maybe it was time to take my life back. To reach for the life I wanted. “Okay,” I murmured, closing my eyes. Tomorrow. I’d start tomorrow.

Today, I just wanted to pretend I could still smell Owen on my skin, could still feel his phantom touch across my body. Could still feel his lips press against mine. Like if I pretended hard enough, he’d still be next to me, telling me how beautiful I was. How much he’d missed me.

One night would never be enough. Not for us.

Not when one touch from him set my soul on fire. When one kiss made me crave him like nothing had before. The way one glance made me feel like I was finally on solid ground again.

I would have followed him anywhere.

Tomorrow… I’d figure out how to win him back.

EIGHT

Owen

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