Page 35 of In Another Time

She searched my eyes for a moment before nodding. I got up and headed to the shower, the hot water pounding against my skin as I tried to clear my head. But no matter how hard I tried, my thoughts kept circling back to Lennox. The messagewe’d exchanged the night before when she gave me her parents’ address. The fact that I was about to see her for the first time in over a year.

When I stepped out of the shower, Anya was still in bed, scrolling through her phone. “You heading to the club?” she asked, barely glancing up.

“Not right now,” I said, pulling on a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt. “I’ve got something else to take care of.” She raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further.

As I walked out the door, a strange mix of anticipation and anxiety settled in my chest. I didn’t know what this meeting with Lennox would bring, but one thing was certain: It was time to face the past.

When I pulled up to Lennox’s parents’ house, the first thing I saw was her sitting on the front porch, waiting. Her arms were wrapped around her knees, her head slightly tilted as the breeze tousled her hair. The moment my car came to a stop, her eyes lifted to meet mine.

And just like that, I was stuck.

She was fucking beautiful in an oversized knitted sweater, leggings, and boots, although something was different. There was a weight in her expression that wasn’t there before, a heaviness that mirrored my own. Still, she was breathtaking, and for a moment, I couldn’t bring myself to get out of the car. I just sat there, gripping the steering wheel, trying to steady my pulse.

Finally, I opened the door and stepped out. The crunch of gravel under my Timbs seemed to echo in the stillness of the moment. As I walked toward her, she stood, her body tense but her gaze unwavering.

We didn’t say a word at first. We didn’t need to. Our eyes locked, and it was like stepping back in time. The same intensity that had always existed between us was still there, unspoken butundeniable. I stopped at the bottom of the porch steps, unsure if I should climb them or keep my distance. She made the decision for me, stepping aside and gesturing for me to sit.

I climbed the steps and sat beside her, close enough to feel her presence but not enough to cross an unspoken boundary. For a while, we just sat in silence, the weight of our losses settling between us. “How are you holding up?” I finally asked, my voice low.

She let out a soft, bitter laugh. “I don’t know if I am. Some days feel normal, and then other days, it hits me out of nowhere. Like today. I came out here to clear my head, but. . .” She trailed off, shaking her head.

I nodded. “I get that. It’s the same for me. It’s like this permanent ache I can’t shake. Some days I’m fine, but then something reminds me of him, and it’s like I’m right back at the beginning.”

She turned her head toward me, her eyes searching mine. “Have they caught the people who did it?”

“Not yet,” I said, my jaw tightening. “The investigation’s still ongoing, even with me turning over the security tapes. I’ve been pressing the detectives, but there’s only so much they can tell me. It’s frustrating as fuck.”

“I’m sorry,” she said softly. Her hand twitched like she wanted to reach for mine but stopped herself.

“Thanks,” I said, my voice rougher than I intended.

For a while, we just sat there, lost in our own thoughts, before she spoke again. “How’s work? The club?”

“Considering I took a step back after all this shit, business is still good,” I said, leaning back against the porch railing. “I opened a restaurant not too long ago. It’s good too. How’s everything with you?”

She nodded. “I’ve been the same with work. It’s all I focus on most days. The new office is thriving, and yeah, life is. . . is good. Chicago has been good to me.”

“That’s great, Lennox. You deserve it.”

She smiled faintly, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Thanks.” The conversation lulled for a moment before she glanced at me. “So. . . you’re getting married?”

There it was. The question I’d been expecting but dreading. I nodded. “Yeah. Anya and I are tying the knot next month.”

She stared at me, her expression unreadable. “You love her?”

“I do,” I said, the words steady but not as certain as they should’ve been.

Lennox nodded slowly, her gaze dropping to her lap. “That’s good. I’m happy for you, Omir.”

I looked at her, and for a moment, I thought she was going to say something else. Her lips parted, but then she pressed them together, shaking her head slightly like she’d decided against it.

“I appreciate it,” I said quietly.

She stood, brushing her hands on her leggings. “It was nice to see you. I mean that. I wish you the best with. . . everything.”

I stood too, unable to ignore the ache in my chest. “You too, Lennox.”

We hugged, and it wasn’t a casual hug. It was deep, lingering, and charged with everything we weren’t saying. I could feel her trembling slightly in my arms, and I tightened my hold, wishing I could take away her pain—and maybe mine too.

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