Page 8 of Come Back to Me

I shake my head, squinting my eyes. “I’m confused. Last time I saw you, you told me how your mom basically forced him to stay at your housewith you.”

“I know it’s hard to believe. Let’s just say this past summer was…a rollercoaster. I’m surprised he didn’t tell you about us.”

“I wish I could’ve been there for him more. I know how rough this summer was for him, but I’m glad he has you now. I don’t understand why he didn’t mention you guys are dating though. I guess he thought we’d cross paths again or something.”

Dani looks away from me, focusing on Bella. “Remind me to text him after this.”

Bella smiles at her as she drops her head down to the floor for a few seconds.

“So Violet, what can I help you with?” Dani asks as her face softens.

“I’m going to talk to Grayson…I’m just not sure how to go about it. I don’t know if I should really do this or not.”

It takes Dani a moment to register who she’s talking about. “So, you came here for my advice?”

I nod, my lips slightly parting.

The last time I saw Dani was at Just One More Chapter, one of the local bookstores here in Sunset Cove, about a month ago. We exchanged phone numbers, but we haven’t talked since then. Now I know why. She’s been busy with her boyfriend, Noah.

It’s so weird to hear myself say that, even if it’s inside my head.

“I asked Noah for his advice, and he sent me to you. So yeah, I came here for your advice.”

Dani side-eyes Bella, looking back and forth between the two of us.

Bella winks at us, clearly understanding we need some privacy and heading over to her bedroom. “I’ll be in here if you need me!” She closes the door behind her.

“What made you decide to do this now?” Dani asks me, crossing her leg over the other.

A floodgate opens, allowing me to be vulnerable with her. “I haven’t stopped thinking about him for the past six years, Dani. I-I miss him so much.” The admission gets me all choked up.

This is why I can’t talk about him.

No, this is why I don’t talk about him at all.

The pain is still fresh like an open woundthat doesn’t want to close up. I’m aware I’m opening that wound even more by talking about him with Dani, but sometimes talking can be a form of healing.

Dani stretches her arm out, placing her hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry I haven’t reached out to you. I wanted to, but these past few months have been hectic. I’ve also been distracted with writing.” She pauses. “Let me be here for you now. Tell me what you want to do, and we’ll do it.”

My eyes grow wide. “Seriously?”

“If your heart is telling you that you need to see Grayson, then listen to it. There’s something I’ve learned about love this past summer: it appears at the most unexpected times. Once you have it, you never want to let it go.”

Wow, that was wise.

She’s right.

I didn’t want to let go of the love I had for him, but I had to. I didn’t have a choice. If I could go back in time, I’d do the same thing all over again. All I wanted was for him to be happy, and I knew I had to vanish from his life for that to happen.

“Noah told me he has basketball practice three out of five days during the week. Do you know if he has practice tomorrow?”

“I know he has practice on Friday.”

“How do you know that?” I lower my eyebrows.

“I sleep over at the apartment sometimes, and I’m around the guys a lot.”

A grin spreads across my face. “Ah, I see. Are you going to be busy on Friday afternoon?”