Page 133 of The Fate Of Us

We gave into each other then, our mouths crashing like the hundreds of waves that hadcrashed onto the shore just behind us in the time we’d been sitting here. I savoured every corner, every dip, every swipe from her tongue across mine. My heart slowed down entirely, like it wanted to help me for once, like it wanted me to enjoy this moment how I should.

My head felt as clear as the sky above us—a canvas of lilac and yellow and midnightblue. I felt weightless. At peace. All the feelings that were alien to me had taken over and become a blanket around me. Although… I had a feeling that none of that was to do with me, my body, but instead, the girl who was wrapping her hands around my neck and pulling me towards her.

As she kissed me harder, pressing her lips into mine like they would vanish at anymoment, I thought back on what I said before. I truly meant it when I said that I had no idea what I’d done right to deserve a shot at existing at the same time as her, being chosen by her, being held by her. I could probably think over it for days and never find the answer.

But what hit me hardest was that having a chance to love her once was pure luck… andthe fact that I got another shot, another chance to make things right and start over?It was like the fates, for the first time in years, were in favour of us.

Epilogue

Idon’tlookovermy shoulder when the bell to Flo’s chimes behind me, not immediately. I’m still trying to let Flo’s advice seep into my brain, hoping it’ll settle.

“It takes time,” she told me. “I know that when Jacob was helping me bake, in those early months, I felt sick every time he offered to. My head was just a constant ball of guilt and shame and I was angry that I wasn’t doing it on my own.”

“What helped the guilt?” I’d asked, nudging the ice in my coffee with the straw.

“Ignoring it.” I rolled my eyes at her. “Okay, it was hard to ignore it, but once I treated it like it weren’t there, things eventually started getting easier. And I realised that it was okay to have a helping hand from time to time.” Her hands then gripped mine, as I was practically on the verge of tears. “I promise.”

It had been a few months since the world found out about my little disappearing act on the set ofForever and Always, and let’s say that the world had some opinions. There were all sorts of allegations thrown at me, some saying I’d quit because I wasn’t being paid enough, some calling me out for being pregnant, and others saying that I was finally saying no to rom-coms and cheesy franchise movies.

The digital voices of the world stopped talking once it was announced that I’d been assigned to a literary agency and that four of my books, the most grammatically correct and gripping ones, were being published.

And while I should have been celebrating, while I should have been screaming from the rooftops that what I’d wanted since I wrote my very first story after a day of auditions was happening… the world wasn’t about to let me off the hook that easily.

People were claiming that I didn’t deserve it, that I had the connections and the contacts to skip through all the loopholes and show jumps that every other writer had to for their work to have a chance at being seen.

It was only when Eleanor came out and made a statement, saying she'd secured an early copy of my book and referred it to her agent, that the voices quieted.

But one or two seemed to have a screaming fit from time to time. Which was why I was here in Flo’s fifteen minutes before she opened, to ask her how she’d dealt with her guilt.

“It’ll come in waves,” she’d said. “There are some days when I see an article online saying that this place wouldn’t be as famous as it is if it weren’t for Jacob. And then I’ll spend the day overthinking until I realise what a waste of time it is, and that my happiness, my contentment, matters so much more than what others are saying about me.”

As her smile grew, the bell on the door chimed through the room.

Once what she’d told me had floated to a part of my brain I’d venture back to later on, I swivelled around on my ballet flats, my hair whipping me as I locked eyes with the man I woke up next to this morning, and yesterday, and every day before that for however many months it had been since we met at the pier.

“Morning ladies, how are we?” Nate asked as he strode through the door, turning on the latch before he made his way over to us.

I didn’t care that Flo was behind me when I skipped towards him and planted a kiss on his mouth, and another, and a few more for good luck. I shivered at the way his hands wrapped around my waist and hoisted me off the ground, my foot popping and one of my shoes falling to the floor.

It was still weird being affectionate in front of everyone. I’m pretty sure Jacob and Flo still prepped themselves for the awkwardness and the silence that used to follow us around every time we saw them. But if anything, I think they’re as happy for us as we are, as the world seemed to be.

That was until I felt something that resembled the ballet flat I’d just lost hit my back.

“Hey!” I shouted as we paused our kiss, Nate lowering me down so I could shout at the shoe thrower instead, meeting Flo’s humour-filled scowl not a second later. “Can I help you?”

“Fifteen minutes before opening or right before we close, those are the only rules I give you two, and it’s currently ten to nine, and as much as I love this,” she waved her arms at us. “Can you pull the Cinderella act when we have time?”

I felt Nate snort a laugh into my shoulder as he bent down, while I blew a middle finger kiss at my best friend, who then stormed behind the counter, a scowl that was more or less a smile sporting her face.

“You two just lost wonky pastry privileges.”

I gasped “Awww,” at the same time Nate muttered. “Not fair.”

Flo had a cloth in her hand now as she wiped down the glossy white counters. “My decision is final, unless these cinnamon buns that you’re making at this dinner party tonight, which I’ve heard can rival mine, arein factbetter than mine.” I dared a glance at Nate as he lounged behind me, matching grins adorning both our faces. “If they’re better than mine, I’ll lift the wonky pastry ban.”

Nate sauntered from behind me and took a seat on one of the spinning stools. “Well, if that’s the rule, then I’ll see you tomorrow morning for my wonky pastry.” His smile was addictive, so wholesome and charming. It was my favourite way to watch him, so caught up in his own happiness.

“You have eaten Flo’s cinnamon rolls… right?” A deep voice questioned as it entered the room. I turned my head to see my other best friend striding up behind Nate, placing a hand on each of his shoulders.

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