Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 133224 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133224 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
“Yep.” I smile and pull him into a hug. “Thank you for everything.”
I hug Antony and Ethel and Winston. I get to Carol, and she starts crying.
“I’ll see you all the time, Carol.” I hug her tight. “It’s fine.”
“I know, I know.” She sniffs. “I just never wanted you to move. You’re such a beautiful girl, and I’m going to miss you, too, Daisy.”
I walk to my car and take one last look around Kingston Lane. Such a wonderful little street with such beautiful people in it.
Not the happily ever after I was hoping for, but maybe the fresh new start that I need.
I open the door, and Daisy climbs in the back. I get into my car.
And as my friends wave goodbye, I drive out of Kingston Lane with tears in my eyes.
“It’s just me and you now, Daisy. It’s just me and you . . .”
It’s winter. The air is crisp, and frost glints in the corners of the window.
I have the most beautiful bay window in the front living room with a big window seat with cushions. My house is freshly painted, and I’m suddenly into nesting.
It’s weird—I’ve been in this house now for eight weeks, and it’s the happiest I’ve been in a long time.
I feel free.
No longer held hostage to the bricks and mortar that I feared losing so much.
No more stupid foot photos.
The future is bright, and the world is my oyster.
Things have changed a lot. Liam, Juliet’s brother, has moved into her old house, and a new family with teenage kids has moved into mine.
The cul-de-sac will be different now with all the new people, and it wouldn’t have been the same even if I’d stayed.
My timer on my oven dings, and I walk into the kitchen. Then Daisy starts to bark at the window.
“What is it, Daisy Doo?” I call to her.
I hear the front step creak, and I walk to the front door and stop on the spot when I see who it is.
“Blake.”
“Hi, Bec.” His eyes search mine.
“Hi.” My heart somersaults in my chest. “Are you . . .” I put my hand on my chest to try and calm myself. “Visiting?”
“No.”
“No?”
“I moved back . . . last week.”
“Last week?”
“Oh.” I nod as I search for something to say. “But your job . . .”
“I’ve returned to my practice here.”
“Right.” I nod in an overexaggerated way.
The air swirls between us, but with what, I’m just not sure.
“And your girlfriend?”
“We broke up.”
“Why?”
“Because she wasn’t you.”
My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “That’s a good reason.”
“She didn’t seem to think so.”
Ha!
I bite my bottom lip to hide my smile.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
“I . . .” He pauses as his eyes search mine. “I needed to see you.”
“Yeah, well . . . I don’t associate with men who cheat, so . . .” I shrug.
“I wasn’t with her when you came to New York.”
My eyes hold his as I listen.
“I only told you that because I knew it would make you leave.”
Asshole.
“Right . . .” I pause as I try to articulate my thoughts. “I was a mess before we broke up, and I’ve owned that, but the way you handled our breakup was just as bad. To not even talk to me until I hijacked you in your car at work was pathetic.”
“Agreed.”
“And immature, not to mention selfish.”
He twists his lips. “The evidence does suggest that.”
An awkward silence falls between us.
“Maybe . . .” He shrugs. “Maybe . . . I needed to do some work on myself too.”
“Maybe?” I raise my eyebrow in disgust.
“Probably.” He gives a subtle shake of his head. “Definitely.”
“I’ll ask you again, Blake. What are you doing here?”
“I want a second chance.”
“Why?”
“Because a life without you isn’t one that I want.” His eyes search mine.
I get a lump in my throat as I feel my defenses drop.
“Will you make me lasagna?” he whispers.
Oh . . .
“For how long?”
He smiles softly. “Forever sounds pretty good.”
“Well, forever is a bit presumptuous.” I shrug. “We didn’t even go on a first date yet.”
“Rebecca.” Amusement flashes across his face. “Do you want to go on a date with me?”
“Where to?” I hold my hand up and pretend to look at my fingernails.
His amusement breaks into a smirk. “To a restaurant.”
“I’ll have to think about it. I’m pretty busy.”
“Get into the house before I smack your ass.” He points into the house, and I laugh out loud and turn and run.
He chases me down and crash tackles me to the floor and holds my hands up above my head. His lips take mine in a soft kiss. “Hi.” He smiles down at me.
“Hi.” I smile back.
Who am I kidding?
Forever does sound pretty good.
Epilogue
Twelve months later
The dinner table erupts into laughter, and I smile as I watch the game.
Carol, Taryn, and Chloe are on the couch talking to Juliet, and Winston is playing cards with Antony, Blake, and Henley. I’m bouncing Hannah on my lap; she looks up at me with her big blue eyes and tries to grab my necklace. “Hey.” I smile.