Page 16 of Back to You
Oh God. My brain instantly screams at me to do something. Hide, vanish, evaporate into thin air. I grab the box of books, lifting it slightly, angling myself behind it like it might block me from view.
He walks over, the little girl already darting toward the kids’ section. She grabs a few books and plops herself down onto one of the teddy bear-shaped chairs, completely in her own world.
“Hey, Hilda. Anna.” His voice is the same. Warm, deep, confident. Then he turns toward me. And freezes. His eyes widenjust slightly, the shock unmistakable before he quickly masks it. Like seeing me after all these years is nothing. Like I’m nothing.
“Wow, Mari. Hey, it’s been a long time. How’ve you been?”
I swallow. My throat feels like sandpaper. “Great. Good. Fine. I’ve been fine.”
Sebastian’s lips twitch, his dimple appearing. “Well, I’m glad you’ve been great, good, and fine. Hopefully, mostly great.”
Kill me. Just kill me now.
My heart races as I try to gather my thoughts. There’s too much I see when I look at him. Too many thoughts. Too many what-ifs. Get it together, Mariana. What is wrong with me right now?
I lean back slightly, trying to play it cool. “Is that your daughter?”
He opens his mouth, but before he can answer, Hilda jumps in. “No, sweetheart, that’s his niece, Maya. Analyse’s little girl!”
I jumped a little at her voice, completely forgetting that she and Anna were even here. A wave of relief washes over me before I can stop it. His niece. Not his daughter.
“Oh! Your niece?” I say, my voice too high. I clear my throat. “That’s great. She’s adorable. How old is she?”
“Six. First grade. Although if you ask her, she’ll say ‘almost seven.’”
I glance over at Maya, now lost in a book. “Looks like she’s a bit of a bookworm.”
Sebastian chuckles. “Not a bit. A huge bookworm. Kinda reminds me of someone.” He leans in slightly, his voice dipping just enough to send a shiver down my spine. “Are you still a bookworm, Mariana? Still into those smutty books?”
Oh. My. God.
Heat creeps up my neck. I cross my arms, forcing out a casual shrug. “Guilty. What can I say? Hot girls read.”
Anna snorts. Hilda coughs to cover a laugh. Sebastian just grins, slow and knowing.
Turning to Anna, he nods toward the box of books. “What’s in the box, banana?”
I forgot he always called her that. Not Anna Banana, just Banana. She always said she hated it, but I think she secretly loves it—the way he teases her like the big brother she never had.
Anna smirks. “Books for my kids at school. Actually, since you’re here, can you carry them to my car?”
Leave it to Anna to put him to work the first chance she gets.
“Yeah, sure.” Sebastian grabs the box from the counter, and he and Anna walk out of the store.
The moment he’s gone, My heart finally slows. My lungs unclench. I can breathe again. Sebastian Garcia. The first boy who stole my heart. The one I never truly got over.
And now, I’m back home, and I have to face him again. Over and over.
In this small town, there’s no escaping him.
God help me.
CHAPTER 6
Sebastian
After placing the box in the trunk of Anna’s car, I step back and rock on my heels. Hands in my pockets, I ask, “So Mariana is back, huh?”
