Page 70 of Now and Then

I nod, swallowing hard. “I don’t know if I’m ready to let myself believe it.”

“Well,” Navy says, “you best start to believe it. We’ve been waiting for this moment for months. You two have been circling each other like some kind of torturously slow-burn romance novel come to life.”

“Exactly,” Greer adds, sitting on a nearby footstool. “Honestly, I think half the town has been rooting for you guys for years. I’ve never experienced something as exhausting as watching two people so obviously in love do nothing about it.”

I groan, dropping my roller into the tray. “Please don’t remind me that somehow, we’ve made it into the town rumor mill. Whatever Hunter and I are is not that big of a deal.”

“Um, excuse me, but no,” Navy says, sidling up to stand near Greer. “This is so a thing. Don’t even try to deny it.”

“We’re going on a date tomorrow night,” I blurt, sitting on the ground and crossing my feet. You’d think wearing sneakers would be a lot more comfortable than stilettos, but my feet beg to differ.

“You’re what now?” Navy reaches over and grips Greer’s shoulder, both of them beaming.

“Yep,” I say with a soft smile. “Things have progressed rather quickly, and, well, he’s taking me out on our first official date tomorrow night.”

“Sutton,” Greer practically squeals, “this is so exciting!”

“It’s not like we’re getting married. It’s just a date.”

“It’s the date,” Navy says, pointing a finger in my direction. “And don’t even pretend you’re not excited. Look at you. It’s written all over your face. You’re practically vibrating!”

The cantankerous part of me wants to argue but can’t. They aren’t wrong. I am excited, and nervous, and scared. “What if it’s too late?” The question surprises myself.

Greer’s expression softens, and she sits up straighter. “Too late for what?”

“For us. For this,” I say, gesturing vaguely around the room. “We’ve been through so much, and what if I mess it up?”

Navy steps over to me and squats in front of me, bracing her hands on my cheeks. “You won’t. You know why? Because you and Hunter aren’t starting from scratch. You already have the foundation. The history. All that’s left is for you to finally let yourselves have it.”

Greer nods, her smile returning. “And honestly, Sutton, if anyone deserves a happy ending, it’s you. You’ve been through hell and back, and Hunter . . . he already acts like your boyfriend, so if you’re not willing to go all in, then you have to let him move on.”

My throat tightens, and I nod. Hunter sat with me after my father’s funeral. He held my hand when the doctor shattered my already broken heart with news of the baby. He comforted me when I was too numb to cry. He’s always been there. Even when I didn’t know how much I needed him, he knew.

My gaze drifts toward the box in his closet, where he kept mementos of our life for years. I cross the room, open the lid, and pull out a worn photo. It’s of me and Hunter when we were kids, arms slung around each other, grinning like we didn’t have a care in the world. I trace the edges, my vision blurring.

“You okay?” Navy sets her chin on my shoulder, peeking at the photo.

I lean my head on hers as Greer steps up beside me. She takes the photo from my hand and audibly sighs. “This is like the best romance novel I’ve ever experienced,” Greer says wistfully.

I can’t help the laugh that escapes. “I think I’ve been ready for this for a long time. I’ve just been scared.”

Navy snorts. “Well, it’s about damn time.”

“Amen,” Greer adds, handing the photo back to me. “To Sutton and Hunter. May the slow burn finally ignite.”

A huge belly laugh escapes me, warmth spreading throughout my chest as I return the photo and box to his closet. For the first time in so long, the future doesn’t feel so terrifying.

It feels like hope.

14

Sutton

Hunter’s hand finds mine as we step out of his truck, his thumb brushing once across my knuckles like he’s testing whether my hand in his is real.

For years, we’ve stood on the edge of being something more, the timing never right, pieces always missing. But tonight is different. Tonight, the distance between what we’ve been and what we’ve wanted to be finally disappears.

Standing in front of the costume shop, I’m even more aware of how close he is, how the weight of his gaze makes my pulse race and breathing to accelerate.