Page 51 of Say You Remember Me
He raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in his eyes. “So kissing me in front of everyone at the club was out of character for you?”
I laughed, rolling my eyes at his flirtatious tone. “Believe it or not, that was a one-time thing. At least since I’ve been an adult.”
His smirk softened with curiosity. “Were you a wild teen?”
“Well…” I said, my thoughts drifting back to that chapter of my life. “Considering I got pregnant during my junior year of high school, I’d say I was just alittlewild.”
He stilled, taking that in with a thoughtful nod. “So you were pregnant during your junior year?”
“Yeah,” I said, my voice a little quieter. “I found out that March, and Grant was born in October of my senior year.”
“That must have been a crazy time,” he said, his tone gentle, and I appreciated that it didn’t sound like he was judging me for getting pregnant so young.
Not everyone reacted so kindly.
“It was,” I replied, swallowing as I thought back. “I remember feeling like my life was over. But my dad—after the initial shock—was amazing. He flew me home from North Carolina, and he and my siblings really went above and beyond to help me out. I never could have graduated without their help.”
“North Carolina?” he asked, his brow furrowing. “Did you use to live there?”
“Yeah.” I nodded, heat creeping up my neck as I remembered that fateful night on the beach. “My dad sent me there for a couple of months to live with my aunt in a town called Sweet Water. It was supposed to keep me from ‘getting into too much trouble.’ But little did we all know, I’d already found trouble before I’d even moved there. I just hadn’t taken the pregnancy test yet.”
Something flickered in Ian’s eyes when I said that. And when his gaze seemed to search mine, like he was trying to match my face with a memory, I couldn’t help but wonder if he was remembering that night on the beach, too.
He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the movement before he asked, “So you found out you were pregnant while you were in Sweet Water?”
“Yes…” I swallowed, suddenly shaky with nerves. “I-it was right around my cousin’s spring break and…”
But before I could finish that sentence, a knock sounded on Ian’s door, interrupting the moment.
Ian glanced at the door, slightly startled. But then, seeming to return to the moment, he shook his head and said, “That must be my family’s jeweler.”
“Your family’s jeweler?” I blinked, not expecting him to say that.
How fancy did a family have to be in order to have a “family jeweler” who would travel to see you this early on a weekday?
He gave me a playful smile as he stood and set his napkin on his chair. “I asked to have some engagement rings delivered for you to choose from.”
17
IAN
As I crossedthe room to see who was at the door, my mind spun, tangled with the revelation Maddie had just dropped.Sweet Water, North Carolina.That was where she’d taken her pregnancy test.
Was it possible she was the girl I’d met on the beach? Could the girl I’d worried about through the years, hoping she would be okay after seeming so lost that night, actually be Maddie?
That night had been memorable, if fleeting—just two teenagers hanging out on a starlit shore, talking about the different sob stories we were currently wading through. She’d told me she was in college, visiting Sweet Water for spring break, just like me.
But had that been a lie? Had she only pretended to be in college to fit in with the crowd, thinking she’d never see me again? I remembered catching a hint of her perfume last week; the scent stirring up the memory of that night. I thought it was strange at the time that I’d suddenly been thrust back into that memory as it had been years since I’d last thought of it, but maybe it hadn’t been so strange after all—maybe it hadresurfaced because I’d actually been reunited with that girl and just hadn’t realized it.
I opened the door, managing a smile for Mr. Calvin, the jeweler who’d handled my family’s jewelry needs for as long as I could remember. “Thanks for coming on such short notice,” I said, shaking his hand and inviting him in.
He chuckled, following me inside. “When a Hastings family member calls, I’ve learned it’s best to answer.”
“You’re probably right.” I laughed. “Diamonds and us—seems like a family tradition.”
“A tradition I’m more than happy to help you keep.” He winked.
“Go ahead and get settled in here,” I said, gesturing to the sitting area. “I’ll call Maddie in.”
