Page 94 of Rewriting the Story

“Prove to him you’re planting roots and making a home here.” Paige smiles. “Henry will come around like we all did. You have to love him loudly, Ames. You have to run toward him when you’re scared, not away, and I think he understands it will take some more time for you to do that. But I’m also betting he’s willing to give you another chance, especially with how he looked at you during the wedding.”

“You think?” I ask, and everyone nods.

“The guy was heartbroken, but those eyes?” Leo shakes his head. “The eyes never lie, and he is still madly in love with you, even if you did break his heart.”

“He doesn't even know I’m still in Virginia,” I tell them. “I never told him I was leaving England.” Everyone starts shouting, and I get immediately overwhelmed. “What?”

“Why didn't you tell him?” Hads asks, shouting at me.

“It never came up. We had more pressing things to discuss!”

“You have to go show him you’re back for good!” Grant says as he scribbles something down on a piece of paper. “Someone get Amelia’s purse for her.”

“What? Why?”

“You have to tell him, Ames.” Grant hands me the paper while Ella grabs my purse. “Here’s his address. Go.”

“Right now? I thought we were going to have—”

“Movie night can wait! This is more important,” Paige shouts, her voice filled with excitement. “Go, Ames!”

And they practically shove me out the door. As soon as I get outside, my heart starts to race as I sprint to my car, needing to show Henry I’m capable of planting roots and building a home somewhere.

Not anywhere, though. Here. Here in Virginia, with the family I never knew I needed but somehow was lucky enough to find.

Mymindwentintotunnel vision mode as soon as Grant gave me Henry’s address. I left right from Paige’s place, not wanting to waste another second. I’ve wasted enough time in my life, and I won’t spend more of it letting Henry slip away from me.

I want our life to start as soon as it can. I know it’s going to be a long time until he fully trusts me again, but I’m going to put in the work. He is worth it.

I don't want to erase our past together—there’s no way we could—but I want to use it to remind myself what not to do, to remind myself what happened when I left him the first time. I’m going to learn from every mistake I’ve made, and I’m going to try my fucking hardest to not make them again.

I’m still a human, so I know I’m still going to mess up, but hopefully, this time, I won’t be consciously aware of my fuckups.

I turn into the lot of his building, no music playing through my speakers as I practically jump out of my car. I find his door immediately, and before I think about turning around, I knock.

The small light outside flicks on, and it only takes a few seconds for the door to open. When he sees it’s me on the other end, his mouth drops open ever so slightly, and I can't tell if it's because he’s surprised to see me here, or if he wants me to leave.

“Hi,” is all I can say, kicking myself for somehow being the most awkward person on the planet.

“Hey,” he says as he puts his hands in his pockets, the door swaying between the two of us. “Do you want to come in?”

“No,” I say as I grab my necklace, needing a bit more strength. “This won’t take long.” That earns me a head tilt. “I need to know if you could ever forgive me.”

“What?”

“Please,” I beg. “I need to know if some day, by some miracle, you could forgive me for breaking us. I might not be sure of anything in my life at this moment, but the one thing I am sure about is you. I was giving you space after the wedding, but I can’t do that anymore. When I realized I still loved you, after all this time, I came right over.”

“So this is a recent revelation, then, isn't it?”

I shake my head.

“Don’t play with my feelings again, Amelia,” he says as his head drops. “You know what I said to you at the rehearsal dinner, and if this is some—”

I cut him off. “It’s not. I just need to know if you can ever forgive me. I need to know if we have a shot at being happy again, because if we do, I’m going to fight like hell for us.”

His eyes get heavy as he takes a moment to think, and I can tell all our best and worst moments are filtering through his head. Part of me is terrified to hear his answer. If he wants me to leave and never come back, I will. I have to respect what he says, but if there’s even a small sliver of hope he can forgive me, I’m putting my fucking game face on.

“I don’t exactly trust what you’re saying to me, but…” He trails off, and my stomach flips as I await his next words. “I loved you once, Mills. With how easy it felt for me, I could absolutely do it again.”

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