Page 16 of Crossroads of Love

Her scent is exactly the same. How is that possible?

The memory of Lena wearing nothing but my old football jersey as she straddled me, her head thrown back as she laughed at something I said, hits me hard.

I can’t focus on anything except my own heartbeat thudding in my ears. Someone smacks into me, physically slams into my back, and the moment our bodies touch, it’s like the air around us shifts. Electricity whips through me, and her familiar smell of vanilla and lavender consumes me. I step back, muttering an apology, trying not to look up, but I can’t help myself. I know who I ran into. When my eyes meet hers, the words die on my lips.

Lena Marshall.

It’s been eighteen years, yet she looks the same despite her sad eyes. Her dark curls frame her face, but that gorgeous smile no longer meets her bright blue eyes.

She’s even more beautiful than she was back then.

At one time, I had memorized her face. It haunted my dreams more than I’ll ever admit. Her blue eyes, sharp as ever, bore into mine with surprise before they narrow in anger.

We stand there for a moment, neither of us moving. I have so much I want to say to her, but none of the words will form. My stomach is in knots.

Right now, sorry doesn’t seem like enough.

The tension crackles between us like static, a weight pressing on my chest. I glance at Jayla, who has stepped aside, her eyes flickering between her mom and me, clearly sensing something is wrong. The whole town is watching, of course.

Hicks Creek doesn’t miss a thing.

“Mom, Uncle G made it,” Jayla says excitedly. “I didn’t want him to walk in alone.”

“I see that, baby,” she replies. She looks at me quickly, barely acknowledging me before looking away again. “Gavin.”

She straightens, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as if the touch would wipe away whatever that moment was.

“Lena,” I manage, nodding. “I…uh, sorry about that.”

“Don’t worry about it. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

“Were you hiding from Hank?” Jayla giggles.

“How did you know?” Lena rolls her eyes as she smiles back at her daughter.

There it is. There is that gorgeous smile of hers.

I watch her carefully, taking in every inch of her. I want to commit this new version to my memory.

She has this confident, carefree way about her as she looks adoringly at Jayla.

“He told me to start referring to him as stepdad,” Jayla says as she cuts through my thoughts. “Man, he pops up out of nowhere sometimes.”

She groans as the two of them laugh.

“Hank?” I ask, cocking an eyebrow at Jayla.

“He’s a mess. You’ll see. He has a huge crush on Mom and is so blatant and thirsty about it,” Jayla explains. “You’ll see if you stick around after…everything.”

Lena’s eyes dart behind me briefly before returning to my face, but not long enough for anyone else to notice. I can see she’s gripping the program in her hand so tightly that it’s practically rolled into a ball. She’s nervous and doesn’t want me to see any emotion. It’s the only time she won’t look me in the eye. She looks past me, her gaze fixed somewhere over my shoulder.

“I didn’t expect you to come.”

Ouch. I see you, Lena.

“I’m here to say goodbye to my father. I wouldn’t miss that.”

Her eyes flicker with something I can’t quite name before her expression hardens. She lets out a dry chuckle, shaking her head before she rolls her eyes.

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