Could he really live in the same town as Jake again?
Could he really live here with Willow after what had happened?
Nausea swelled in his throat. This was all such a mess. Even the calmness of this place wasn’t helping him.
He didn’t have a clue what to do next.
The rapping on the cabin door stirred him out of his reverie. He pulled himself up stiffly, running a hand through his messy hair. His mouth was dry, and he licked his lips.
‘Who is it?’ he croaked, getting up from his seat.
Mia, he expected. She probably followed him down here. He knew she was worried about him.
The door opened slowly, and Willow stood in the shadows.
‘I was hoping to find you here,’ she said shyly.
Lucas stepped back. He wasn’t sure what to say or do even.
‘How did you know?’ he croaked finally.
She smiled and held up a creased piece of paper. ‘I found your letter to me. It’s a few years too late, but I came to meet you, like you asked—’
‘My letter …’ He took the paper from her as things slowly clicked into place. ‘You were in my room?’
‘I’m sorry. I was worried. I asked Mia to help me look for clues to try and find out where you might be and she found this,’ Willow replied gently. ‘Luc, it’s so beautiful.’
‘It’s stupid. I should have ripped it up ages ago.’
‘No, you shouldn’t have, and I’m glad you didn’t.’ She walked towards him. ‘I only wish you had told me back then.’
‘What good would it have done? You were in love with Jake.’
‘But I didn’t know how you felt. I didn’t have all the facts,’ Willow insisted. His mom’s words echoed in his ears, and he frowned. She always had been right about stuff like this.
‘Besides,’ Willow continued, ‘I didn’t realize how bad Jake was to you. I mean, I know he could tease and stuff, but I didn’t realize the extent—’
Lucas shifted uncomfortably. ‘It was no big deal.’
‘Of course it was a big deal. You were my friend, and I couldn’t see you were hurting.’ Willow was almost shouting now. ‘I should have seen it. I should have stopped it—’
‘None of this was your fault, Will,’ Lucas said softly.
He sat back down, and Willow joined him on the seat opposite.
‘I mean, it’s not a huge surprise you’re here,’ she said finally. ‘It was always our special place.’
‘I guess I’m an obvious kind of guy,’ Lucas muttered.
‘We were so happy here,’ she replied. ‘We had such lovely times together didn’t we, Luc?’
He nodded. He could barely look at her. If this was her building up to an apology, to regret what they did the other night, he wasn’t sure he could take it. This was why he wanted to leave without seeing her; he wanted the coward’s way out.
‘I realized how much I loved you back then,’ she breathed. ‘And how much I still love you.’
He looked up. Her eyes were moist with tears. She reached forward and took his hands in hers. ‘Luc, I love you. I think I always did. It took that night in the storm to make me see—’
‘You don’t regret it?’ he croaked.
