Page 106 of We'll Meet Again

That was the final letter.

Billie had never thought much of the idea of soulmates. But there was undeniable proof right in front of her, and it made all the pieces of her life start to fall into place. Nothing else explained her dreams, visions, and fears she never could make sense of. She was Maggie and Maggie was her. And in her desperation to spare herself the pain of a familiar sorrow, she had thrown away her happiness with both hands.

But this time, there was no war that could claim his life. The only battle to fight now was a way to win him back.

And of course she had to win him back. She had already lived one lifetime without him, and she refused to do it again.

Quickly as she could without damaging them, she gathered up the box of letters and the picture and carried them to her bedroom, placing them carefully on her nightstand. After one last look at them, she moved as fast as she could.

Yanking open her closet door, she dug out her small suitcase, knocking it against the wall as she dragged it over a pile of shoes. It flopped open as she tossed it onto the bed. She tugged open her dresser drawers, snatching up whatever she put her hands on and hurling the garments into the suitcase. It didn’t matter what clothes she wore. She just needed to get to Ethan.

She attacked her bathroom next, swiping her skincare and toothbrush into her arms all at once, the bottles clattering together. She eyed her shower, debating bringing shampoo, but decided against it. Better to not have to make another trip, for she didn’t have seconds to spare.

Tessa appeared in the hallway just as Billie was heading back to her room. “What in God’s name are you doing?”

Billie didn’t even look at her.

“There’s shampoo in America!” she called over her shoulder.

Bewildered, Tessa followed her into the bedroom. Billie still paid her no mind, she only packed up her things and began wrapping the box of letters inside of a pullover to keep them safe.

“What are you on about?” Tessa demanded. “What’s it to you if they’ve got shampoo in America?”

“I’m going there to get Ethan back,” Billie said firmly, tucking the box safely into a corner before closing the lid of the suitcase and zipping it up. Finally, she met her flatmate’s gaze. “He’s not going to die this time.”

Tessa blinked, taken aback. Then she folded her arms across her chest and frowned. “You are turning into a right head melter, Billie Axton. What the fuck’s going on with you?”

“I’m going to get Ethan!”

“Aye, so you are, but that was the only thing you’ve said in the last two minutes that’s made any damn sense!”

Billie took a much-needed deep breath. Her heart was still pounding and her blood was pumping like she’d just run a marathon, but she could hardly help it. She was so excited to have answers at last. To have something she could show Ethan to prove to him it wasn’t irrational. That she could get past her fears now that she understood them.

“The reason Maggie Owens was a name I recognized is because she’s me. Or rather, I’m her. I know it sounds fucking…mad, but I swear, if you look at the photographs, you’ll see. I was so afraid of losing Ethan because I’d already lost him once.”

Tessa’s eyebrows started a slow retreat back up her forehead. “What?”

“Ethan and I are soulmates,” Billie said. “Literally, soulmates.”

“But that’s - what do you - how -”

“I don’t have time to explain, but look at the photos, you’ll understand. Right now, I’m going to Heathrow and booking the first flight to Charlotte I can get.”

She picked up the suitcase and moved past her flatmate, who remained rooted where she stood.

“Billie!”

Billie turned, her hand on the knob of the front door. “Yeah?”

“Good luck.”

Chapter 30

Theearlyhourandheavy cloud cover meant Ethan had the beach mostly to himself. He’d finally gotten to sleep during the night, but only to find himself in the old, familiar dream of the snowy woods. He woke up cold, and decided the best thing for it was a warm ocean breeze. It cleared the goosebumps away. If only there was something he could do for his aching heart.

He knew he should be excited. In a few weeks, he would be heading back to London to sign papers with the club of his dreams. He would leave Stanmore, and all the mistakes he made there behind him, namely his bad behavior with Peter. There would be people he’d miss, though. Hector and Jordan, but mostly…mostly Billie. He longed for her with every fiber of his being, down to his bones. Each time he thought of her tenderness, her fierce looks, or the way she made him laugh, he felt like a whole half of his body had been removed.

With a sigh, he took a step, sand sweeping around his feet as he started at a leisurely pace down the shoreline. A walk would clear his head. He walked closer to the water, where the tide could wash over his skin, hoping it would keep him grounded and present.

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