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Always has been.

Always will be. Damn it.

I shoved the thoughts aside and tried again. “Address?”

She hesitated, causing me to look up.

“Um…” she tucked some of her curly hair behind her ear, “…you really don’t remember?”

“It’s been close to ten years,” I said dryly. “How would I know where you live?”

“Because I live across the street from your parents’ old house.”

I nearly choked.

My parents’ old place? Where I was currently staying, and remodeling, while they vacationed in Arizona for three months.

“Right.” I jotted down her address by heart. “So, they were on your parents’ lawn?”

Her teeth clenched. “Yes.”

“Twelve, you say?”

“Yes.”

“Were they placed in any intricate design?”

Her brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“Circles, squares, penises—”

“You’re kidding.”

“I wish,” I grumbled. My chest felt tight, my coffee was too hot, and my uniform was beginning to itch. “So, any designs?”

“No design,” she said in a small voice. “I mean, there could have been. I wasn’t really paying attention. One of the signs did have one of those flyers about High School Reunion Weekend, but that was it.”

High School Reunion Weekend.

I shuddered.

I planned on being knee-deep in sawdust during that hellish weekend, where every happy couple from high school showed off their rings, cars, babies— No, thank you.

“All right.” I scribbled down more information. “I guess that’s it.”

She nodded slowly. “I guess it is.”

Our gazes locked.

I didn’t want to feel attracted to her, but it was impossible not to. She was more beautiful than the day she’d left. I tried to hold onto my hurt, but instead of building more hate, all I kept thinking was, How is it possible that she’s prettier?

“You look good, Jason.” She stood and grabbed her coffee cup. “It was…” her eyes glanced away, “…it was nice talking to you.”

Bullshit. That wasn’t talking, that was a painful blast from the past.

I forced myself to stay calm even though my heart was racing to run after her, tell her that I still felt… What for her?

Love?