Page 81 of Meet Me in Tahiti

She’d given him her address when she’d given him her number.“If you ever change your mind, you know where to find me…”

He hoped she still meant it. Because he’d held onto that little piece of hope like it was a lifeline. Thought about it a hundred times. Wondered if he’d waited too long.

But here he was.

On the other side of the world, standing in front of Tessa’s apartment building.

Maybe it was crazy.

He’d only known her for eight days. Four months ago. But those eight days had changed him from someone who’d been damaged, closed-off, and lost, into someone who was ready to start over. Live again. Love again.

And no one else, since he’d left this state—this city, this beautiful country of his, heartbroken, all those years ago—had ever made him feel that way. And the four months since he’d lost her had only made it clearer.

He climbed the stairs slowly, heart pounding, every step echoing the nerves that jilted around inside him, until he found the right door. Apartment 3B. His hand lifted, hovered anxiously, then knocked.

The knock was sounexpected that for a second, Tessa thought she’d imagined it.

She crossed the small living room in a red cotton top, denim shorts, and her favorite black flip flops, which she’d changed into after work today. She peered through the peephole.

Then she blinked, inhaling sharply. And then her heart slammed against her ribs.

Was that… Russ? Her mind raced. She squinted and looked again. She was seeing things, wasn’t she? She’d conjured the love of her life magically to appear outside her door, and now she was seeing his image in the wide-angle view through the little round lens. She shook her head, her pulse racing.

Her hand went for the knob, and slowly, she opened the door.

He stood there, hair a little longer, face a little more sun-kissed, just as gorgeous as ever.

But completely real.

“Hey,” he said, his smile cautious.

Her eyes were wide, disbelieving. How could he be standing there now, in front of her, in the flesh?

Silence. Because Tessa literally couldn’t speak.

Then, “Is this… a bad time?”

She shook her head, forcing herself to snap out of it. “No. No, of course not,” she said, still stunned, but where were her manners? She opened the door wider. “Hi. Come in. Please.”

She stepped aside, voice barely steady as she shut the door behind him. How long was he here?Whywas he here?

Her apartment suddenly looked like a disaster. Mail, receipts, and a half-unpacked bag from the hardwarestore for her latest home-decorating project littered the kitchen counter. Her running shoes were by the door, a sweatshirt draped over the back of the couch.

She hadn’t been expecting company—let alone… him. She couldn’t peel her eyes away, taking in the firm ridges of his muscular chest beneath the collared white shirt he wore.

He tucked his hands into the front pockets of his khaki shorts and looked around. “You’ve got a nice place here.”

She swallowed, her eyes still glued on him. “I would’ve cleaned up if I knew you were coming,” she said quickly, brushing a set of keys aside. And then a stack of mail, her pulse skittering.

She wasn’t thinking straight, anxiously busying herself with unimportant things while she waited for him to explain why he was here.

He turned to her. “Tessa, it’s me. You don’t have to clean up for me.”

Itwashim, wasn’t it? Russ. Her Russell. He was here. She took a deep breath and let it out, a range of emotions still flooding her.

But she didn’t want to get her hopes up. She had to know what this was about. “So… you’re back for a visit. I’ll bet your parents are happy about that? It’s a good time of year to come back. The weather’s been really mild…” The words were just dribbling out of her mouth now. She felt like a bundle of nerves. “How long are you in town?”

He met her gaze, steady now, and took a step toward her. “As long as they’ll have me.”

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