Page 35 of Wildflower Hearts
She kept her eyes cast downward even when he grabbed her wrists and placed her hands into his.
“Please look at me.”
She raised her gaze to his.
“I’m sorry I hurt you, for pushing myself on you and treating you so horribly.”
“You didn’t-”
“Perhaps you’ll let me make it up to you.”
Frowning, she extracted her hands free. “I don’t want to cause any more issues between you and your brother. It’s been a year-”
“And I’ve hated every second of it—not being able to see or talk to you. Elias gets how I feel. He’ll understand if you feel the same way.” He paused, searching her eyes. “Do you feel the same way?”
It was mortifying to feel tears gather in her lashes, and she wiped quickly at her face. “Can we talk about this later? Maybe just the two of us?”
Softly smiling, he glanced at the counter, and all of the nurses scrambled to look busy. Melissa winked in his direction, and chuckling, he directed his attention back to her. “Can I pick you up after your shift is over?”
“I’d like that.” Lyla felt a rush of warmth at his words, a flicker of hope igniting within her. “I’ll just finish up here,” she said, hervoice steadier than she felt. “Maybe we can go to that little café down the street?”
“Perfect choice,” he replied, his eyes sparkling with a mix of mischief and tenderness.
As she turned back to her tasks, her heart raced with anticipation. The thought of being alone with him, away from prying eyes, brought both excitement and dread. She knew they had a lot to discuss, but the idea of finally sharing her feelings felt like a step toward something new—something she had been yearning for her entire life.
The sun filtered through the café window, casting a warm glow over the small table where Lyla and Noah sat. The scent of fresh coffee and baked goods enveloped them, a comforting backdrop to the tension that lingered in the air. She stirred her oatmeal absently, stealing glances at Noah, who was intently studying the menu, a slight frown on his face.
“I can’t believe I’m actually here with you,” he finally said, breaking the silence. “I really appreciate you giving me another chance.”
“It’s nice to see you again, Noah. I didn’t expect it, but I’m glad we’re talking.”
He nodded, his brow furrowing slightly. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since… well, since that day. I didn’t handle things well, and I’m really sorry for how I treated you. I was a jerk.”
Looking into his eyes, she felt a flicker of something she thought she had buried. “I forgive you.”
His gaze held hers for a moment, and she could see the vulnerability in him. “I still want to make it right. I was hoping I could, I don’t know, take you to dinner?”
She raised an eyebrow, a teasing smirk playing on her lips. “Are you asking me out on a date, Noah?”
He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck as a slight blush crept into his cheeks. “Well, I mean, if you’d be willing to consider it… I’d really like to take you out.”
“I’d like that too.”
“Would you maybe want to come by the house tonight? I know Debra and Mark would love to see you.”
“Elias…”
“He’s fine, Lyla. He’s the one who suggested I come to see you at the hospital.”
“You told him what happened.”
Noah dug into his pancakes, avoiding her gaze. “I felt bad for what I did. I shouldn’t have pushed myself on you like that, especially when you were dating my brother.”
“Hey, look at me.” He lifted his gaze, and she smiled softly. “I meant it when I said I forgive you. Things were… complicated.” She dug into her food with a shrug. “I shouldn’t have allowed things to go as far as they did. I’m not a cheater.”
“I know you're not. I took advantage of you.”
“You’re being too hard on yourself.”
