Page 27 of Forgetting Rafe Thomas
Nodding, I settle my hand on his.
“Okay, so we have the beginning of a plan. We spend time together on this trip where no one can bother us, talk—like really talk—and even though it goes without saying that we still love each other, let’s…” I fade, suddenly shy and embarrassed with his beautiful eyes staring down at me.
He turns his hand palm up and clasps mine, bringing it close to his chest. “If you are under some assumption that I don’t fall in love with you again every day, then you are mistaken. But yes, let’s fall in love again together, here in this beautiful place where there aren’t nine of my brothers constantly invading our space.”
I giggle and squeeze his hand. “Deal. And when we head home, I’ll have to stop by the museum for a day or two for the exhibit’s pre-opening gala and, of course, the opening, then I’m on my way to Coldstone for some relaxation and family time.”
“Sounds amazing. Then I’ll get some time to come see you, explore the city, and from there…I guess we’ll decide that together?”
“Yes. Promise me you will always tell me what you think so I don’t have to guess or worry?”
He snickers and arches his eyebrows. “I’ll try. I can’t promise it will always work, but I won’t keep my mouth shut if you wrongly assume something. Promise me the same?”
“I promise. Ready to head out before we miss all this beautiful morning sunshine?” I tug his hand but he only pulls me closer.
“You sure we can’t stay inside and—”
I swat him and pull free. “As tempting as that is, we already did that at Beck and Vivien’s wedding. No more making out in broom closets until we’ve mended this relationship fully.”
His smirk says he’s thinking about that night, all the kissing that led to me freaking out and ghosting him. Though, certainly, that’s not the part on his mind.
“I was thinking more on the couch since there’s no one to hide from this time. It’s a super comfortable couch.” He’s pulling mecloser to it, tempting me to blow off our plan. I’m not gonna lie, it is quite tempting, but I want to talk to him. To hold his hand while we walk along the shoreline. To bewithhim in more ways than physical affection.
A firm glare has him groaning. “All right, fine. We’ll do it your way, even though I think you’d like my plan better.”
“Tell you what, take me for a walk on the shore, and I’ll come back here and nap on the sofa with you.”
He scratches his scruffy chin and pretends to weigh his options. “Hmm, I don’t know. Snuggle naps aren’t quite the same as kisses, but I do like a good early-afternoon snooze. Decisions, decisions.”
I put both hands on my hips and tilt my head, intensifying my glare. “Rafe Thomas, you know you love snuggling me. And don’t pretend that all that snuggling doesn’t lead to kissing.”
He snatches his jacket from the back of a chair and slips his arms through. “You have a deal.” Once his jacket is zipped up, he pulls a hat over his head and I’m a goner. Dang it. All these Thomas boys and their good looks are only made better when paired with a hat and a smirk.
And he knows it.
“Ugh, never mind.” I grab the front of his jacket and tug him closer before kissing him. I catch his satisfied smirk going in, but I can’t be bothered to care.
This is the Rafe I remember from so long ago, the one who was just so thrilled to be with me that he couldn’t stop smiling. The whole first month we were boyfriend and girlfriend in school, I don’t think hecouldwipe the smile from his face. The Thomas brothers were all popular in one way or another. Some had amazing athletic ability, while others were practical jokesters with a penchant for causing trouble, and still others were social butterflies.
But Rafe?
Rafe Thomas did his own thing. He wasn’t great at sports, didn’t care much for getting into trouble, had zero interest in arts or music, and often disappeared during lunch period. People didn’t dislike him, but he wasn’t as popular as his brothers. Certainly, no one would have anticipated him finding the courage to ask one of the popular girls on a date.
Boy did he, and even though the whole cafeteria watched him with bated breath, he maintained eye contact with me the entire time. He stumbled and blushed through it, but managed to spit it out. I sat in my cheer uniform, stunned. All I could do was grasp my carrot stick and nod, because despite knowing who the brothers were, I never truly paid much attention to Rafe.
Until that moment. The moment I realized how hot the semi-brooding, quiet, gamer boy of the tribe actually was. How sweet and even charming. All it took was one date for me to know I couldn’t lose him, could never let him out of my life, despite all the other cheerleaders telling me I could do better—with another Thomas, of course. One less mysterious, less preoccupied with silly games.
I did, though. I didn’t just let him go, Ipushedhim away.
“Hey, hey, whoa,” Rafe pulls back and I realize how aggressively I’d been kissing him. His lips are red and mine are nearly numb. I press my fingers against them and feel tears building in my eyes, threatening to spill over any moment. “What happened? What’s wrong?”
A sob breaks free. “Why did I do this to us? Why did I throw away something that was always so precious to me?”
“Luna,” he whispers. “This was both of us. Maybe we got too comfortable or took each other for granted, I don’t know. I do know it wasn’t all on you. We both made mistakes, but that’s why we’re here, right?”
His rubs his hands up and down my arms, drawing me back in. “Let’s go for that walk and talk this through, okay?”
I shake my head. I don’t ever want to leave this cottage. I’d stay here with him forever if I could, but Irish immigration might have something to say about that. Still, I want to be here for as long as I can, savoring every moment with him.
