Page 54 of Kissed by Her Ex

What was she doing? Was she trying to change his mind?

But she had to say these things. If he was going to stay, he had to be one hundred percent sure it was what he wanted. She’d hate for him to someday regret his decision.

“Sometimes you have to go away from home to really appreciate it,” he said. “Maybe that’s the reason I avoided spending time in town all those years when I visited. Deep down, I knew seeing those familiar sights and running into people from my past would remind me what I loved about the town. I wouldn’t want to leave.”

“But this time you came into town,” she said.

“This time I guess I was ready.” He took a deep breath and stepped back, looking around her kitchen. “The whole drive back to Lexington, it all just felt wrong. I kept telling myself everything would be okay once I walked into my apartment, but even then, it just seemed so empty, so lonely. I never really built a life there. Not even when I was married. It’s like I’ve always been waiting for the next thing.”

“And the next thing is here?” she asked.

He nodded and took a step closer to her. “With you. If you’ll have me, that is.”

She couldn’t help but smile. “No way you’re getting rid of me now. But for the record, if you ever wanted to leave Misty Mountain, I’d make it work. My mom had a talk with me, and she’s right. Home isn’t a city or a building. You’re my home. Well, you and this pesky little dog.”

That was said lovingly. Gracie was tapping her way around the kitchen, no doubt expecting another treat since two humans were standing somewhat close to where Charity stored them.

Something was still bugging her, though. She couldn’t move past this point until she got it off her chest. So instead of taking a couple of steps to bridge the distance between the two of them, she crossed her arms over her chest and looked up at him.

“What exactly was up Wednesday night when you drove me home?” she asked. “Not the part where I fell and messed up my knee.”

He looked down. “How is that, by the way?”

“Fine. I’m better. I’m not going to be wearing heels anytime soon, though. Mostly because I don’t want to fall again. Don’t change the subject.”

He smiled and nodded, closing his eyes. When they popped open again, he said, “Holden Pryce.”

Those were not the words she had expected. In fact, if she’d made a list of all the things he might have said right then, Holden Pryce wouldn’t even be on it.

“The helicopter guy?” She thought that through for a second. “Was it that he asked for your business card? Were you afraid he’d draw you back to Misty Mountain?”

“No, it was you.”

She stared at him, unblinking, not sure what to make of those four words. “Me?”

“You and his daughter really hit it off, and he’s a super successful man. Not bad-looking for a guy, I suppose. He’d be the perfect match for you.”

The words seemed to suck all the air out of her lungs. She tried to comprehend what she was hearing, but it made no sense.

“You thought I was interested in that Holden guy?”

He shook his head. “I never thought that. It’s not anything you did. Or anything he did. Just stepping back and looking at it objectively, he seemed like a better fit for you than someone who was determined to get out of town. I know it’s ridiculous.”

“It is.” She nodded and shifted her weight from her good foot to her injured one briefly before shifting back again. “You know there’s only one guy for me. That’s been the problem all along. I actually thought that Holden guy might be someone to fix up with my sister.”

“The one in Europe?”

Laughing, she shook her head. “No, the one who’s in Hawaii or the Virgin Islands or somewhere even better right now, probably.”

“That’s a relief,” he said. “I never thought you were interested in him or anything. I just wanted what was best for you.”

“You’rewhat’s best for me,” she said. “I guess, if I have to be honest, I never fully got over you.” She sighed and looked over at Gracie, who was sprawled on the floor a few feet away. Returning her gaze to Nic, she continued. “It wasn’t just that we dated. We were friends from a young age. You were my go-to when I needed advice. When Noelle moved away too, I felt like the ground had been pulled out from beneath me.”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I really mean it. I was young and immature and I guess in a bit of denial. The thing was, I wasn’t really breaking up with you. I was breaking up with Misty Mountain.”

She laughed. “You may be the first person in history to break up with a town.”

“I may be.”

---