“It does,” she said. “But it has to count for you. You’re searching for a lot of things in your life.”
Fuck.
His lifestyle was going to haunt him. He never thought of it when he was bopping around the world looking for something to take hold.
“I’d like to be done with it,” he said.
“Liking to be and having it happen aren’t the same,” she said. “If you force it, which you said you’re not, you’re only going to wonder and have regrets. That might be worse.”
“Do you have regrets?”
“Doesn’t everyone?” she asked. She moved to the kitchen and pulled out the two pies she’d baked yesterday before he picked her up for dinner last night.
“I don’t know,” he said. “My biggest regret was not asking you out in college.”
“Now you’re being silly,” she said.
“I’m serious. I do wish I’d asked you.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.”
Talk about an ego killer. “Huh?”
She squinted one side of her face. “Arik. I had a crush on you.”
“I know. I saw it.”
“But youstilldidn’t ask.”
“Because I thought you’d say no,” he admitted.
“I don’t know what I’d say. If I’d said no, you wouldn’t be here now. If I had said yes, you would have still gone to Seattle and I would have still returned to this island. I’m not a long distance relationship type of gal. Not for long. But one thing I am, is a believer in fate.”
That was promising, all things considered. “I never thought I was before, but being here with you, my mind is changing swiftly.”
If she commented on the flush he felt on his cheeks, he didn’t know how he could explain it away.
Hedidbelieve in fate.
He believed in her.
But would she believe in him if she knew he came here hoping for what they had now?
Would she accuse him of forcing this like she’d just talked about?
“There is that smooth talking charm you throw in my direction now and again.”
“Got to keep it off to the side for when it’s really needed.”
“You know,” she said. “You could have been an attorney too.”
He shuddered. “I know. Don’t remind me.”
The last thing he wanted to do or be was anything resembling his parents.
Yet he knew there were parts of him that did.
How could they not?
