Page 19 of Return To You

We fell in love—at least I thought we did. It wasn’t without complications, and I was ready to tackle those.

But then, just like that, we were over. Before we really even began.

Her decision.

I respected it.

I just never stopped loving her.

I’d had a taste of Grace, and no one else would do.

So yeah, the way she treated me just now? I don’t get it. How could she be so cold? How could she act like I was just another rando getting a massage?

I guess I’ve been a fool all along. Maybe she never loved me the way she said she did.

Maybe I should stop thinking about the past.

My steps take me to Justin’s food tent. The line is long, but he and the pretty brunette work in sync and it moves fast.

Coming out of nowhere, Haley slides in front of me in line. “It’s on me.” She pulls her wallet out and orders two sandwiches with fancy names, some mac’n cheese balls, a cup of gazpacho, and two sodas.

“Aren’t you working at the pub today?” I ask.

“I’m on a break. It’s still early.” She walks ahead of me, seeming to know where she’s going. “Let’s go test the bleachers. I heard some out-of-towner helped.” She glances at me with a devious smile. “Not sure how I feel about that. Does he even know what he’s doing?”

Carrying the food in one hand, I grab her in a playful headlock with my free arm as we walk away, eventually letting her wiggle her way out. She punches my bicep. I pull her hair. She screams and kicks, laughing all the while.

Some things haven’t changed.

We settle on the bleachers—I guide us toward the planks I repaired without telling Haley, and she doesn’t make a comment, which means she doesn’t even notice. Good.

From here, we have a vantage point of the massage tent, and my gaze keeps drifting there. I take the wrap Haley is handing me. “So. Fill me in on the gossip. What’s new in town?”

“Justin is secretly in love with Chloe, while pretending he’s only working with her to please the town’s events committee.”

“Figured that.”

“Mom and Dad have an Angus cow that’s driving everyone insane. She’s called Daisy.”

“Good to know. What’s insane about it?”

“Her. Daisy keeps escaping and eats everyone’s flowers.”

“Why don’t they just make burgers out of it—her?”

“Shut up! We love her.”

“Gotcha. We love Daisy. What else?”

“There’s a new couple in town, started their construction company. Thalia and Lucas. And Autumn is setting herself up as a decorator.”

“I met Lucas. There’s enough work here?”

“You wouldn’t believe it. So many second homeowners now. They all want their little slice of heaven, and well, we have the space. You can hardly tell they’re here, except during festivals, and judging by how you need a reservation now to get a table pretty much everywhere. And did you see all the new fancy shops in town? Second-home owners shop there.”

True. I’d noticed them but didn’t stop to wonder how they made a living. Seems like my baby sister has a solid head on her shoulders.

“I heard you talk with Dad about a new project you want to start?”

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