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Charli wasn’t stupid enough to believe that he didn’t have an ulterior motive in asking that question. “A few times. In the end, I didn’t find it worth the effort.”
“If you’re not sure about dating, would you be up to talking with me?” Blake asked. “Like phone calls or texting. That way, we don’t have to sneak dates in until we’re more certain about things.”
That was how it had all started the last time. Phone calls, texting, video calls. The first eight months of their relationship, they’d communicated entirely through their phones. And now she was considering doing it all over again.
If what they were contemplating doing had the same start, would it also have a similar end?
The battle between her heart and her mind waged fiercely at that moment. Her heart desperately wanted another chance at the future she’d once desired more than anything. Her mind, however, screamed that there was no way that it would work out. That hurt was inevitable.
Hope or hurt?
Safety or risk?
Which could she live with?
Which would she live to regret?
“I can’t promise anything,” she told him, hoping her voice wasn’t trembling the way her insides were. “I can’t promise this will become what we once had.”
“I understand that. But we’ll never know if we don’t try. We’re more mature now, and I think we can learn from what happened before.”
Though she wasn’t sure it would lead to where Blake hoped it would, Charli found that she couldn’t say no to him. Couldn’t say no to her own heart.
She was going to take the chance.
Against her better judgment, she was going to take the chance.
The only thing that briefly gave her pause was the relationship between Layla and Blake that neither of them knew existed.
If things worked out the way they hoped they would, Charli could then trust him with the information that Layla was his. If it didn’t work out, he never needed to know.
Hopefully, he’d understand why she hadn’t been willing to share that information with him sooner.
But what if he didn’t?
Her head was a mess, but she had to give him an answer. Unfortunately, she didn’t think there was one completely right decision. The thought crossed her mind that maybe she needed to take the time to pray about it. But she didn’t want to.
“We can try spending time together on the phone.”
When Blake’s face lit up, Charli felt her heart skip a beat. It had been forever since he’d smiled at her like that. And it was hard to consider that her decision was anything but the perfect one when she saw that look on his face. His blue alit with emotion and anticipation.
“Do you have a preference for time?” he asked, apparently determined to accommodate her as much as possible.
“Evenings are best,” she said. “After nine, but before ten.”
Rather than complain that she was limiting things by giving him just an hour, Blake nodded. “I can work with that. It’s after Amelia’s bedtime, but before I need to be in bed myself.”
“Yep, that’s why that time works for me.”
Before they could discuss it any further, Jay and Misha returned, with Lee, Zane, and Wilder following them. They’d been sitting at another table for the meal but joined them at their table now that the guests were wandering around.
The servers had cleared the table of all plates and silverware, though they continued to fill their cups with coffee or tea as requested. At one point, they had some short speeches from Janessa and Gareth, then Kayleigh and Hudson spoke as well. Once they were done, the couple circled the room, talking briefly with their guests and accommodating photo requests.
Skylar had returned to their table as well and was once again seated beside Charli.
“When are you going back to school?”
“Tomorrow,” Skylar said. “I took Friday off, but I need to be back for Monday.”
