“After the trial is over, I promise you, we’ll get our parents together and learn the truth,” she said.
“And then we’ll see if what we had is still there.”
“Yes,” she said softly.
His jaw flexed, but after a long pause, he nodded once.“After the trial, then.”
The ocean roared outside, relentless and steady, as if to remind her that time always moved forward.
For the first time in twenty years, they were on the same side of the truth.
And that terrified her more than any verdict ever could.
She stood.“I should go.”
“Can I walk you to your car?”
“Yes,” she said.“Tell Paige, thank you.”
A smile crossed his face.“We’re naming our first child after her.”
A giggle escaped from Nicole, and then he walked her outside.The urge to kiss him was so strong, but she resisted.
“See you in court,” she said.
“And I know you won’t go easy on me.”
“Absolutely not.”
Chapter13
The waves hit the shore in long, steady breaths, the sound carrying through the open windows of Paige’s rented beach house.The curtains lifted and fell with the night breeze, stirring the smell of salt and the faint trace of coffee that lingered in the air.
Tripp sat at the small kitchen table, hands wrapped around a mug he hadn’t touched.He stared down at the swirling reflection of the overhead light in the dark liquid, wishing it were strong whiskey instead.
Paige leaned against the counter, arms folded, watching him with that calm steadiness that had always made it impossible for her to lie to him.They’d been friends during high school.Never dated.Never romantically involved, just friends.
“You two finally talked,” she said.It wasn’t a question.
Tripp exhaled slowly, dragging a hand across his jaw.“Yeah.”
“And?”
“And it changes everything.”His voice was rough, words scraping their way out.“All these years, I thought she walked away.I thought she didn’t want me.But she didn’t walk, Paige.She was pushed.Just like me.”
Paige’s eyes softened, but her voice was firm.“That’s what I always thought.The way you both unraveled…it never sat right with me.”She tilted her head.“So now what?”
Tripp blinked at her.“Now what?”
“You’re both standing here, face to face with the truth for the first time in twenty years,” Paige said, pushing away from the counter.“You’ve still got feelings.You’d be a fool to deny it.So I’m asking: what happens if you two find your way back to each other?”
The question landed like a stone in his chest.Tripp shifted back in the chair, his jaw tightening.“That’s not exactly on the table right now.We’re in the middle of a trial.”
Paige pulled out the chair opposite him and sat, propping her chin on her hand.“Stop dodging, Tripp.I know you.I watched you two fall in love, remember?I was there when you couldn’t keep your hands off each other, when you whispered about the future like you owned it.You’re not indifferent.Neither is she.”
A muscle worked in his cheek.He didn’t deny it.Couldn’t.
Paige leaned forward.“So I’ll ask again.What happens if you get back together?Because your mother sure as hell isn’t going to welcome her with open arms.And I get the feeling her family wasn’t exactly accepting of you either.”
