Page 78

Me

9?

Miles

I’ll bring the coffee.

I put my phone on the nightstand and lay staring at the inside of my eyelids for the rest of the night.

Camila

“How are you feeling?”

“Nervous.” I feel jittery and nauseous. Like a water balloon is stuck in my chest while it tries to sink down into my stomach.

“Likeexcitednervous, ornervousnervous?”

“Both,” I say, twisting my necklace. “I guess I’m just anxious not knowing how the conversation is going to go or what the outcome will be.”

“What do you want to happen?” Taylor asks.

“I don’t know.” And that’s the truth. “I want to go back in time and not be duped into a fake marriage.”

She nods her understanding, “I respect that.”

“But I miss him. I miss everything about him. But I also don’t miss how easily it was for me to be hurt by him.” And if my heart hurt this bad after two months I can’t imagine how much worse I could be hurt down the road.

“Okay well, I’m going to go gorge myself on some Biscoffs and coffee over there so if you need me, you know where to find me.” She leans in and gives me a comforting hug. “Good luck,” she squeezes tight.

“Thank you, Taylor.”

It’s notpeak tourist time yet, but the wharf is still crowded. It doesn’t matter though, I would recognize that back of muscles and that dark head of hair anywhere. He’s in his casual clothes again. Black jeans hug his strong legs and a gray crewneck with the sleeves pushed up show off his forearms that are leaning against the wooden railing. Slowly, I approach Miles as if I’m the north and he’s the south pole of a magnet. If I move too quickly or get caught up in him I’ll likely throw myself right at him. He spins around to face me. Dark circles line the bottoms of his eyes and his hair is soft but ruffled as if he’s been dragging his hands through it. I offer a shy smile and take a tentative step towards him.

My eyes glance towards his outstretched hand, hesitating for a moment before sliding my palm into his. The warmth of his hand envelops me—like my own personal heater in the middle of a snowstorm. I take the last few steps closing the distance between us to stand next to him.

“Hi,” he breathes. His voice is hoarse like he either hasn’t used it in days or he's been yelling. I don’t want to know which.

“Hi.”

“I’m glad you texted me.”

I’m glad I did too if only to see him but words are failing me right now so I just look into his depthless eyes willing the answers to come to me.

“I’ve missed you, Camila.”

I’ve missed you too,I almost scream at him. I don’t know why the words are getting stuck. It’s as if I’m working so hard to keep the burning of my eyes at bay, that I can’t get the words out. But they’re there. Right fucking there.I’ve missed you, your face, and the comfort that you provide just by wrapping me up in your arms. I’ve missed being around someone so supportive, someone who not only believes in me but helps me believe in myself.I tell my body to relax and I take a deep breath.

“Excuse me, could you take a picture for us, please?”

I drag my eyes away from him to a mother holding her phone out to me. Her family standing behind her against the pier railing.

Miles’s jaw ticks and I only smile, knowing he’s going crazy inside at all the things unsaid between us, and here’s this lady who just wants a family photo.

“Sure,” I say, offering her a smile. “Okay ready? Three, two, one…got it!”

“Thank you so much.” The woman smiles, already looking down at her phone as I hand it back to her.

I turn back around and I’m met with distressed eyes. His normally strong and assured posture is slack. I can’t stand to see him like this, I need to assure him as he's done for me so many times. “Miles?—”