Page 52 of The Time It Takes
I glance up and find Oliver watching me, a small smile on his magnificent face. I’m taken aback for a moment at the sight of it.
He’s smiling—at me.
It’s the first smile I’ve seen on his face since I arrived. He must realize that I’m looking at him now and that he’s smiling at me because his face falls completely. Something akin to disappointment and misery laces every one of his features. I’m prepared for him to go back to pretending I don’t exist, but he surprises me when he begins to paddle toward me with a determined look on his face. When he reaches my side, he pushes himself up into a sitting position.
“Better than I thought you’d be,” he quips lightly.
I try to smile. “Can take the girl from the waves but can’t take the waves from the girl.”
I allow his eyes to roam my face as we sit in silence. I let him continue thinking about whatever’s going on inside that beautiful brain of his. All the while, my brain struggles to comprehend that he’s next to me. It feels as if the entire ocean lies between us.
Even when I turn away to watch Taylor, I feel the force of his eyes on the side of my face as if he can’t help but watch me. It seems to be one of his hobbies this morning, but I find myself wanting his words. He knows I want his words and for a moment he forgot that he’s punishing me, and I suppose I deserve every miserable second of it.
I find the courage to look over at him and say softly, “Make a decision, Ollie.” His eyes don’t waver as they sweep across my face.
“About what?” His voice is nearly lost within the space between us.
“Whether you want to hate me or not.” His jaw ticks, but he doesn’t respond. I add, “It’s alright if you do.”
He lets out a low humorless laugh. “Yeah, for who?”
I tilt my head to the side, studying him closely. “You tell me.”
He shakes his head, running a hand through his wet hair. “Don’t riddle me, Willow.”
“It’s not a riddle.” I swallow the hard lump in my throat. “I’m not here for the kind of forgiveness you might think.”
He paddles his board closer as the current attempts to push him away. “What do you want then?”
My thoughts go to what Julian said to me that night when he ruined everything between us. I think about all those years ago when my life went to hell and how I wish I could erase it all from my existence—from my very core. If what happened to me had reason or purpose, maybe I’d be able to accept it more, but it didn’t.
Julian’s voice reminds me that I’m here for a reason. I can only hope that the world has a better plan for me written in its stars. “A different ending,” I admit softly.
“And what kind of ending would that be?” he asks tightly.
“One where I don’t die too.”
We both say nothing for a while after that. I look over my shoulder and notice that Dean and Taylor are back on the beach.
“Are you happy?” I whisper, keeping my eyes on the three chatting with one another. Every so often they look toward us. Oliver remains silent for so long that I don’t think he’s going to respond.
“I am.”
He’s always been a terrible liar.
I look at him, a sad smile on my lips. “Good. That’s good.” I swallow my pride and ask, “How did you two meet?”
His brow furrows at my question before clearing his throat. “We met years ago. Bethany was a travel nurse at the time, and she was working at the hospital that Dad was in.”
Bethany.
“She was there for me,” he says quietly, refusing to look at me now. “When he passed away...” He takes a deep breath. “She was there.”
So was I. I swallow hard, not letting my emotions get the best of me. “I’m so sorry about Beau. When I heard—”
Pain flashes in his eyes as they dart back to me. “So, you knew?” My brows drop and I open my mouth to speak, but he cuts me off. “Did you know when he was dying, he asked for you?”
I close my eyes at his words.
