Page 40 of Your Second Chance
I hesitated, my voice barely above a whisper as I asked, “Why are you always around?”
Ollie didn’t answer right away. Instead, he dipped his head, his forehead hovering above mine, the faintest breath of space separating us.
“Because I cannot stop thinking of you.”
My breath hitched. My heart pounded, and the world started to spin.
He pulled away, sensing me emotionally reeling from his words. Reaching out his hand, he held it out for me. “Come on, love. Come inside before I scare you off again.”
I huffed out a breath and stared at him. Really stared at him.
The way he looked at me—it was overwhelming. Like he didn’t just see me, but wanted me to see myself through his eyes. It was terrifying.
And yet . . .
I swallowed hard, the weight of the moment pressing into me, and finally, I nodded. I slipped my hand into his, warm and solid, and let him guide me back inside.
15
nova
“You okay?” Luna mouthed when I got back to the table, and I nodded.
She looked down where my hand had been resting... just resting... in Ollie’s. We were definitely not holding hands. I left it there because it was warm and outside was cold.
Luna bit her lip, trying to hold back a laugh, but her amusement was written all over her face. Across the table, Ollie’s mum gave me a reassuring smile.
“I think I’m ready,” I said quietly as I settled in, the words more for myself than anyone else.
Ollie didn’t move his hand, brushing his fingers lightly against mine in a way that made my stomach twist. I ignored it and focused on the envelope in front of me.
Without looking up, I pushed it toward Luna. “I can’t open it. Can you?”
“My pleasure.” She grinned as she grabbed it.
I stopped breathing as the envelope teared open and instinctively squeezed Ollie’s hand. His thumb traced slow, soothing circles along the top of mine, grounding me in a way I didn’t know I needed.
Luna pulled out the small folded paper and paused, her grin softening. She slid it across the table toward me.
“You should do the honors,” she said gently.
I looked up at Ollie, who nodded, giving me the final piece of encouragement to open the paper. It meant removing my fingers from his very warm and very large hand, but as soon as I moved, his hand moved to my thigh, never actually leaving my body.
I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply to steady the nerves buzzing in my chest. “On the count of three.”
“One,” Mrs. Stone began.
“Two,” Luna said.
“Three,” I whispered, my fingers trembling as I unfolded the paper.
It’s a GIRL.
The words were scribbled in bold pink marker, unmistakable, definitive. A girl.
My heart clenched, emotions flooding through me faster than I could process them.
I stared at the paper, gripping its edges tightly. It felt unreal, the weight of it crashing over me like a tidal wave. My daughter. A little girl.
