“No, not wrong. Just unrealistic, maybe. There are no guarantees in life, Serena. You know this, I know this. But look at your friends. Do you believe our relationships won’t last?”
“Of course not. You guys are perfect and amazing. You’ve all found your one true partner in life.”
Summer arches her brow at my immediate response. “Okaaay, and why exactly is it so hard to believe that you deserve to find that kind of love as well?”
“I…I…I don’t know,” I say lamely, and it’s the truth. Somehow, with all of the happiness I feel watching my friends fall in love and plan their futures, I never stopped to consider there isn’t a good reason why I couldn’t have that, too. Especially in light of Mom finally telling me why Dad left. It might not explain why he stayed away, but it helped to lessen the burden of thinking it was all my fault.
“Serena. It’s obvious to absolutely anyone who knows you that you still have feelings for Leo, just like he clearly does for you, based on what you’ve told us. If he’s willing to put his heart on the line, and you’re willing to give things a second try, I don’t see why you shouldn’t.” She tilts her head. “Unless — is Violet an issue for you?”
“God, no! I adore that little girl,” I object immediately. “She’s amazing, and he’s such a great dad.”
“Are you worried about stepping into a mother-ish role with her?”
“No. I mean, maybe a little? It’s a big deal, I realize, dating someone with a kid, but that doesn’t scare me. Giving her my heart might be easier than giving her dad my heart.”
“Babe, I think you’ve already given thembothyour heart.”
She’s right. I have. Leo always had it, and Violet won me over the first time I met the little girl. Now I’m being given a second chance with the one man I’ve always loved and a first chance at maybe someday a family. I’d be stupid to pass it up, no matter the childhood emotional baggage I’m carrying.
“I guess I have a date to prepare for.”
Chapter twelve
Leo
Asking my cousins for help planning my date with Serena was a mistake. I got every suggestion from a simple dinner out, courtesy of Kat, to a drive to a lookout for someprivacy, thanks to Sawyer. My head was spinning with possible plans and trying to decide which one would have the best impact. In the end, I decided on a picnic at the beach to bring back some memories from high school. We used to drive out to Haywood Lake, park my old truck backed up toward the water, climb into the bed, and cuddle under blankets watching the stars.
Hopefully, the trip down memory lane works for Serena. My goal is to get her to remember all the good times we had back then and pray it’s enough to convince her our future could be just as good as our past.
Which is why I’m here on a Friday night, outside the studio, working hard tonotoverthink my plans for the evening. My hands won’t stop flipping my keys around, so I shove them in my pocket and run my hands up and down my pant leg.
There’s nothing to be nervous about, it’sSerena, for fuck’s sake. I know this woman. Well, I did know her.
There’s a yoga class going on inside from what I can see, but the sidewalk is empty when the studio door opens, and Serena walks out, my throat thickening at the sight of her. Memories of picking her up for dates start to flood back into my mind, and I am instantly transported back twenty years. Meeting her parents for the first time, desperate to make a good impression so they would trust me with their girl, taking her to restaurants, being so proud to pay for the two of us, thanks to my job at the local grocery store, driving down back country roads with her tucked into my side.
My connection to this woman is tied up in a thousand stories, a million memories, and a lifetime of love. A love that has been given a second chance to bloom.
“You look incredible,” I say, my eyes traveling hungrily over her body. She’s wearing frayed jean shorts that hug her incredible ass perfectly and a sweater that drapes off one shoulder, showing a peek of a lacy bra or something underneath. Cowboy boots complete the outfit, and I do a double take when I see them. “Are those… ”
“The ones you got me at the rodeo when we were seventeen? Yep.” She lifts her leg and kicks it back saucily. “They still fit.”
“Fuck, Tippy, you do realize you’re making it really fucking hard for me right now. I’m meant to take you on a date, but all I want to do is toss you over my shoulder and carry you up those stairs. And I don’t care how many people see me.”
Her hazel eyes darken as they fill with lust. “Don’t tempt me, Leo Talbot.”
I breathe deeply, letting the exhale come out as an audible sigh that borders on a groan. “Even after all these years, you still have power over me. But I’m stronger now. I can resist your womanly wiles.” I wink at her and her lighthearted giggle tells me she also remembers our senior year English teacher talking about womanly wiles during our discussion ofPride and Prejudice.
When we reach my truck, I hold open her door and take the opportunity to enjoy the view of her climbing in.
“No bench seat. Bummer,” she says when I slide into the driver’s seat a moment later.
“That’s what you think,” I mutter softly, then I lift up the center console, which stayed down on our drive to the Martin farm earlier this week. Serena doesn’t waste a second, scooting over so that she’s sitting beside me.
“Much better.” Her happy smile is everything to me.
As I steer us onto the road that my cousins tell me leads to a tucked away beach about twenty minutes outside of town, I take a chance and drape my arm across the back of the seat, letting my fingers trail along her bare shoulder. When she snuggles even closer into my side, I don’t bother trying to hide my satisfied smile.
“Are you going to tell me what the plan is for tonight?” She tilts her head up slightly to ask, placing one hand on my thigh, drawing circles on it with her finger.