“I think they’re still in shock over Nadia’s death since she worked for them for five years. They just want the heirloom back.”
“Oh.”
We were quiet for a long time, then Beckett said my name in a low voice and it sent a jolt of desire through me, which only managed to confuse me more. It wouldn’t do me any good to let my old teenage feelings for this guy resurface, not when it was clear there was no future for us. I needed to be careful.
I trailed my finger along the row of paint brushes near the sink, letting the familiar bristles soothe my worries.
“Ry?” he tried again.
“Yeah, I’m here.”
“You know I wouldn’t have left if my job didn’t require it, right? Tell me you know that.”
I managed to keep my voice calm when I replied, “How can I possibly know that, Beck? It’s been ten years. Seeing you again was…”Wonderful. Exhilarating. Terrifying.
“It was what?” he’d asked when I didn’t finish the sentence.
“It didn’t feel real.”
He let out a low laugh. “For me either, trust me.”
“Can I just ask, why?” I wasn’t sure I wanted to know, but the question slipped from my lips before I could stop it.
He paused. “Why what?”
“Why did you come back for me?”
There was a strange sound on his end, a half-hearted chuckle maybe? “For the same reason you know in your heart I wouldn’t have walked away today if I had another choice.” He paused. “I know you didn’t leave me, Riley.”
I sank into the chair and let the tears fall. “You believe me then?”
“Of course, I do. You know how I know?”
“How?”
“Blakely,” he said simply. I pressed a palm to my chest as another wave of pain ripped through me. “You wouldn’t have left that stuffed dog behind for anything. You did that for me, didn’t you?”
It took several seconds before I managed to whisper, “I didn’t have time to write a note. I hoped, I always hoped you’d see him and know…” I trailed off, too choked up by the memory.
“I did,” he said.
“Fuck, Beckett,” I whispered. “I’m so sorry.”
“Hey, I know you wouldn’t have just left me all those years ago. I’ve always known that, Ry. There were times I doubted it, of course, but in my heart, I always knew something else happened to keep you from me. That’s what made these last ten years so goddamned hard for me. It was maddening to have the kind of access I do with my job and not be able to find you.” He hesitated, and I heard him take in a slow breath. “I never gave up, though, because we were different back then. You and I were different, weren’t we?” His confidence wavered as he talked, ending on more of a question than a statement.Weren’t we?
I knew he wasn’t talking about the differences between then and now, because of course we were different people now. He was talking about how he and I had something special. Something other kids didn’t have. And to be reminded of that, to know thatheremembered that…
“We were different,” I choked out in a whisper.
“I want to be your friend again, okay? So, I’m not leaving, I want you to know that. Ineedyou to know that.”
I leaned over, hiding my face in my hand and took in a slow, quiet breath, not wanting Beckett to hear how emotional I was.
Could this really be happening? Could Beckett really want to be back in my life for good? I wanted it to be true, but I didn’t dare let myself believe it. Everyone in my life left at one time or another. Even Amelia, when she promised she wouldn’t.
But Beckett never left me.Ileft him.
“Okay?” he asked again.
After another deep breath, I finally answered him. “Yeah. Okay.”
“Good. You have time to talk more? Tell me about your day.”
I pulled my knees up and sank back in my chair, hugging myself. “Yeah, I can talk.”
