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I move beside her, resting my arms on the railing. I look out into the ocean, feel the salty, warm air all around us. Our shoulders touch, but it still isn’t close enough for me. I want more. I want all of her.
“Oh Parker, you’ve got the world at your fingertips in New York. You don’t want a small-town girl like me.” The words drifting from her lips, her eyes still on the ocean.
“I ran away to that big city to try to forget about you. I’ve been with other women Livy, I am no saint, but I would never lie to you. As much as I tried to let you go, I couldn't. I compare every woman I meet to you and none come close. It’s you, Livy. It always has been. Do you believe me?”
She turns to face me finally, her dark gold-flecked eyes meeting mine. “Believing you has never been the issue. It’s just not that simple. So much has happened between us and we are not the same people we once were. This is all too much. Why would we put ourselves through this?”
“Why wouldn’t we? What if it was all worth it in the end?” I brush a loose strand of hair from her flushed cheek. “Come with me, Livy.” I take her hand in mine and lead her towards the three steps that lead down to the beach.
“Where are you taking me, Parker? I can’t just leave my friends inside.”
“Don’t worry, beautiful, we won’t be long. Do you trust me?”
“You better not give me reason not to.” Livy answers back with a hint of humor in her eyes.
I give her my best smile, the one that I know used to drive her crazy, stopping at the edge of the boardwalk where the stone meets the sand.
“Take off your boots.” I tell her instead of asking. Both barefoot, I take her hand back in mine. It killed me to let it go in the first place. It seems she didn’t want to let go of my hand either.
The sun begins to set as we walk through the sand, away from the sounds and lights of the restaurant. I need to have her all to myself, no distractions, and I am hoping that leading her in this direction will help to remind her of how good we were together. So many memories live in this sand, on this beach, at our spot.
We walk hand-in-hand, our toes sinking into the fine white quartz sand. Hulking dunes are in the distance, the beach stretched as wide as a football field. It’s just the two of us, under the stars and the moonlight.
“Do you ever come back here?” I see the tension in her face when I ask the question, feel it in her fingers that are still laced in mine. We continue to walk towards the homes that line White Harbor beach.
“I run the boardwalk often and come to the beach to think, but I never come this far. I … um.” She looks down, stopping the conversation from going any further. We both know the direction we are walking towards and what it means.
“Tell me about you, Livy,” I ask, directing the conversation to safer ground. “What do you like to do these days? Do you still write? You always blew my mind with your writing.”
“I do. Mostly journaling now, but lately the words haven’t been coming as easily as they should.”
“Maybe what you are missing is a little inspiration? Something new and exciting to write about.” I squeeze her hand and give her a gentle nudge. Her lips curl a soft smile. I’m getting somewhere with her. I can feel the tension slipping away from her body.
“I’ll keep that in mind when I’m struggling with writer’s block. Enough about me, tell me about New York. Is living in a big city as amazing as I imagine it to be?” Livy was never comfortable talking about herself. She was always more interested in learning about the people around her. She genuinely cares about the people in her life, it’s one of the qualities that I always loved the most about her.
“At first it was, it’s easy to get caught up in the lights and the action of the big city. They’re right, you know, when they say it’s the city that never sleeps. But that can get stale pretty quick. I’m looking forward to a change.”
“A change?”
“We recently acquired a new property in Cape May, and I am overseeing it. I’ll be moving there next month when we start construction and eventually will launch the new hotel. I’m looking forward to being closer to home, to my friends and family.”
“That sounds amazing, Parker. I’m really proud of you. You’ve accomplished so much. But I’m not surprised.” She finally glances my way with a sweet smile.
I swallow hard, not knowing if I really want the answer to my next question, but I have to know before I can take this any further.
“I know it’s none of my business, Liv, but I have to ask. Are you seeing that guy you were with at the bar tonight?”
Her smile widens and she lets out a cute laugh as she turns in my direction, catching me staring at her. For a second she looks like the girl I used to know. The girl who I had tried to forget for a very long time.
Does she have any idea what she does to me?
Her sweater shifts down her arm, exposing her bare shoulder. Without thinking, I reach out to gently lift it back in place, my fingers brushing against her smooth skin. A flush creeps up her face.
“Jace? No. He’s just a good friend that I met in college. He’s a great guy, but there’s never been anything more between us. I’m not seeing anyone right now. Bloom is my only focus.”
I exhale a deep breath. I’ve never been a very religious person, but I find myself thanking God she’s not with the guy.
“Good, because I didn’t want to have to kick his ass.” Livy side-eyes me with a smirk and we both laugh.
