Page 27 of The Lake House

And just as I’m about to consider yet again the best way to take this shot with her, I see her.

Fuck, she’s gorgeous.

As she exits the store, she’s smiling, waving goodbye to someone in the store and with her free hand, she’s tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear.

She’s so damn pretty, and I already know she’s got a wonderful personality from when we grew up, so that can’t be the reason for her divorce. I can’t see her ex being unhappy with a woman like this.

Unless she’s changed from way back when.

No. No way. Not a chance in hell.

I know she’s still that same sweet, funny girl I used to know and love from a distance growing up.

Damn, I really wish I would have taken a chance when we were younger and asked her out then before someone else had swept her off her feet.

But maybe things were meant to happen this way. Maybe everything happens for a reason, and maybe this was just the way it was all supposed to happen.

I realize I’m stalling again and wasting time as she reaches a white car and is about to get in. If I want a chance with her, if I want to even try, I need to do this right here and right now.

“Hey, Giuliana,” I say with a smile, walking toward her.

She looks up in my direction, and when she sees me, she smiles back nervously. Shit, I hope I’m doing the right thing. Maybe I should have just left her alone.

“Declan, hi,” she says in a voice I could never forget. I’m happy she hasn’t forgotten about me, or at least she remembers my name.

When I reach her, standing a few feet away, I can’t help but stare as my eyes admire her beauty. She’s even more beautiful up close with her dark hair and dark eyes. She’s wearing a pair of blue jeans and a lilac-colored blouse that I suddenly have the urge to rip open.

Fuck, I need to control myself.

I take a breath. “Hey, it’s been so long; how’ve you been?”

She nods and relaxes a bit. Thank God she no longer looks as nervous as she had when I first called out to her. “It sure has. I’ve been well, thanks. How about yourself?”

I chuckle lightly, thankful that the ice has broken. “Can’t really complain… Things have been good. Are you in town long?”

This is it. She can either tell me for herself that she’s divorced, allowing me to pursue her. Or if she wants nothing to do with me, she could lie and say she’s still happily married.

Or maybe I need to stop overthinking this shit so much. Even if she tells me she’s divorced, maybe she just won’t want to get involved with anyone else right now.

She leans against the car door and her curvy hip sticks out.

Fuck me right now.

She places a hand on that same curvy hip. “Yeah, I’ll be here for a while.”

Okay. That answer’s not really here or there, so maybe that will allow me to take it to the next step with her.

But the last thing I want is to come off as an insensitive creep. I need to be respectful of her space and of how she’s feeling.

I nod. “Nice. It’s great to see your face back around these parts again.” I wanted to add the word gorgeous in there, but figured I should probably take it easy.

She smiles again. So beautiful. “It feels good to be back.” She pauses for a second and then adds, “Your daughter is so adorable; God bless her.”

My face lights up. Okay, so she knows about my princess. Did she ask, or did she just happen to see me with her at the fair that night when I saw her? Whatever. Either way, it’s great she knows.

“Thank you. She’s my whole world.”

“That’s nice. She looks a lot like you.”

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