I take a sip of my beer, trying to collect my thoughts as memories of cobblestone streets and vibrant marketplaces flood my mind. The romance, the vibe, thefood. "It's so incredible and very different from here. The culture, the cuisine, the people... it was like another world. I remember walkin’ along the beach at sunset, feelin’ lucky to experience it.”
Austin nods, “Sounds amazin'. Is there a favorite place you visited?" His eyes lock on mine as he shifts forward in his chair. It’s as if he's hanging on to every word.
There are some people I've met over the years who would pretend to listen but whose eyes would glaze over when I talked. But the way Austin watches and listens to me shows he’s interested in what I’m saying. That feeling and the undivided attention he's giving me is heady.
"Seville for sure," I say with a smile. "The architecture, the history... it felt like every street held a story just waitin’ to be discovered. And the tapas! I could eat tapas for every meal and never get tired of it.”
He chuckles, the warm welcome sound filling the room. "Never heard of Tapas."
“Now you’ve done it,” I gleam. “I’m gonna have to make you some.”
He arches a brow. “You askin’ me out, doc?”
“I’m sayin’ I’m gonna make you Spanish tapas and blow your mind,” I reply, leaning into the table, not fighting the invisible and irresistible draw of this man.
"You should see the sunset from the top of Bull Mountain. Best you’ll ever see, even better than Spain I bet. You're so high and can see so far, so when there's that moment between day and night just as the sun dips below the horizon, it's like nature is switchin’ the lights out and you get to see the world bein’ touched by oranges and reds then purples and blues."
I stare at him, vividly imagining the beautiful sight that must be. "Sounds like when we used to grab food from the diner and take it down to the pier by the lake so we could watch the sun go down there. Remember that?"
His eyes flash and I know he's thinking back to what else we got up to at the pier. My body heats up and my cheeks burn as I look down at my plate of food, willing myself to get back under control. Who'd have thought teenage memories could still have such an effect on me?
"Always wanted to travel more," Austin says, distracting me–thankfully. "Maybe one day I'll get the chance to see these places for myself."
Tilting my head, I study him. “Really? I mean, you totally should.”
“You sound surprised.”
He’s not wrong, and I feel bad for thinking it. But I’ve always been honest with Austin. “I am a little. I wrongly assumed you were happy to stay in Alaska, in Spring Haven.”
Austin chuckles, his eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. “I may love this town, but doesn’t everyone dream of explorin’ other places? Spring Haven will always be home for me. And on the mountain is where I’ll always belong. But who knows, maybe one day I’ll pack my bags and go see what all the fuss is about myself.”
I smile at the thought of Austin venturing out into the world, his rugged charm winning over hearts in every corner of the globe. “Well, if you ever need a tour guide…”
His grin widens as he reaches for his beer, his gaze never leaving mine. “You’re hired, doc.”
“I didn’t. I mean, I wasn’t—” I splutter.
“Char?”
I slowly lift my eyes to his. “Ye-yeah?”
“I’m glad you came back.” My heart pounds in my chest as we sit there looking at each other. A steady thump. thump. thump has had me thinking I might need to schedule a check-up if it doesn’t return to normal. I watch as he turns his attention back to the food on his plate and not for the first time, I wonder why I never had the courage to tell him how I felt before we drifted apart. And if others are to be believed and Austin had feelings for me back then too, why didn’thespeak up too? We could’ve hadyearsof this.
Then again, if reading Aster’s books have taught me anything, it’s that sometimes you have to wait until it’s the right time, right place, and with the right person for you.
"You're thinkin’ awfully hard over there. Are you OK?”
I take a deep breath, trying to calm the sudden flurry of emotions swirling within me. "I'm fine. Just rememberin’ all the big dreams we had growin’ up. Reminiscin' about old times, I suppose."
“Hmm,” he says, rubbing his chin. But my words feel hollow, insufficient to convey the turmoil in my heart. How can I explain to Austin the whirlwind of feelings that cascade through me whenever he's near? The longing and regret that span a decade and a half of missed opportunities and unsaid words.
“I could always talk to you. That’s somethin’ I missed when we…”
He takes a deep breath and I watch in avid fascination as he squares his shoulders and hits me with a truth bomb I wasn't expecting. That's not to say his openness isn't appreciated because why avoid the elephant in the room when you can just punch right through it? "Lost touch? Let life get in the way?"
“Sometimes I wonder if life ismeantto get in the way. But you never lost me, Austin. I'm sittin’ right across the table eatin’ lunch with you right now, aren’t I?” I say, my lips curved up into a wry smile.
His gaze softens as he studies me, his eyes filled with an unspoken understanding. "I like that you're back and you're stayin', Char. Glad we can focus on the here and now and not dwell on the past. Wasted a lot of time doin' that and I'm learnin' it doesn't always get you anywhere and definitely doesn’t get youwhat you truly want all the time."God this man is wise..."What matters now is that you're home and we’ve got this chance to reconnect. That's somethin' I've always wanted to do, just didn’t realize how much I missed havin' you around.”
