Page 83 of Flynn

“What do you think?” I asked softly.

Trev sighed. “I think she wants to reach out, but she doesn’t know how.”

Seven weeks and five days. That was how long I’d waited until I couldn’t handle the distance anymore and I’d packed up my motorbike and ridden down here to see Chiara. We’d only spent a few days together on the island, but it had been all I needed to feel that the connection between us was still burning bright. If anything, it felt stronger, unbreakable. No matter what she chose in the end—whether she gave us a chance or not—I knew I’d always love her.

Uncle Trevor had been a savior in keeping me updated on her progress, but I needed more than just his assurances now. I’d needed to see her for myself, to hear her voice. Fuck, I wanted to have an actual conversation with her. I was happy when she’d started responding to my letters, but I needed more now.

I hesitated before speaking. “I need to see her, Trev. I need to talk to her, and I think she needs me to be the one to reach out first.”

He ran a hand over his face and scratched at his beard before nodding slowly and sighing. “You might be right. She’s not very sure of herself or of anything at the moment, understandably. To know you’re still showing up for her, even after two months, I can’t imagine how it could hurt the situation any. If anything, it should just prove to her that you’re still here waiting.”

Hope lit a spark within me, and I glanced at my old bedroom again. Chiara had been such a solid, unwavering presence before, someone always sure of herself, and it killed me that Ellis had taken that from her. But I knew she could get it back. She just needed time and the right people by her side.

“So, how are you going to win her back?” Trev asked, watching me closely.

I thought for a moment before an idea came to me, and I grinned. “I need to make a trip to the store quickly. Do you still have that old boom box?”

~

Chiara

Kate was driving me nuts.

If she had somewhere else to go, she didn’t need to be here. And yet here she was sitting on the edge of my lounge, her knee constantly bouncing up and down as she checked her phone every three seconds.

“Oh my God, just go home already,” I told her, putting down my book.

Kate looked at me with wide eyes and shook her head. “No, we’re hanging out.”

I sighed and rolled my eyes. “No, we’re not. We were meant to be watching a movie, but then you kept looking at your phone, so I picked up my book, and you’ve barely looked at the TV in the last thirty minutes. What’s going on with you?”

Kate scoffed and stood up. “There’s nothing wrong with me. I’m just feeling a lot more hyped up today than usual is all. Didn’t Sofia say she was coming over for a movie night as well?”

I rolled my eyes. Yes, she had said that, and it was thrown together at the very last minute. I was leaving my parents’ house tomorrow and moving back into my own place—much to their dismay. But I needed to start living on my own again, and it was time to take those steps. My parents had gone out to dinner, and so Kate had shown up demanding a final movie night. But she’d barely spared the options a glance before throwing in her first choice.

“Kate, do you have somewhere else to be? Honestly, hon. I appreciate the idea of a movie night on my last night here, but I’m tired and could use an early night,” I tried.

“No!” she cried and then gave me a weird smile. “I mean, not yet.We’ll get out of your hair soon and let you have an early night if that’s what you want. But, you know, we just want to spend a little time with you first.”

I frowned and put down my book. “Honey, is everything okay? You’re acting strangely.”

Kate let out a shaky laugh. “I’m good, really. I’m just gonna find out where Sofia is. Give me a second. Watch the movie,” she instructed, turning up the volume.

I was used to Kate acting weird sometimes—she could be a little odd—but this was a new level even for her. Sighing, I turned my attention to the movie and tried to immerse myself in it, but noises from outside kept dragging me out of it, and eventually I sighed and gave up. I had just reached the front door when Sofia came in, her smile wide and excited.

“Hey, you made it. Do you know where Kate is? She said she was going to call you,” I said, hugging her quickly.

“Yup. I need you to come outside,” she said, her smile widening.

“Umm, why?”

She tugged on my hand. “Just come.”

I didn’t even make it out the door before a song filled the air. I frowned as Sofia led me out onto the darkened porch and I realized what song was playing.Unchained Melodyby The Righteous Brothers rang out and my feet came to a sudden halt on the top of the porch steps. Fairy lights suddenly flooded the front yard, strung up from the side of my parents’ house and across to our front fence, illuminating the darkened lawn in a beautiful wash of warm light.

My eyes widened and mouth fell open at the sight of it all, but the world itself seemed to come to a halt at the sight of Flynn standing on the footpath before my house. All the air in my lungs left me in a whoosh at the sight of him, and my heart started pounding hard and fast.

Flynn.

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