Page 13 of Meant to Be

Hearing his voice causes my heart to drop into my stomach. Slowly, I turn.

Shock registers on his face when our eyes meet. His eyes travel over me quickly and hungrily, drinking in every detail, making my skin flare as if I were seventeen again.

Nicholas Schneider. High school sweetheart. Heartthrob. My first boyfriend.

God. He is still handsome. Very, very handsome.

His skin is darker now, with freckles painted across his nose. His hair is lighter, sun-bleached, and clipped short. Maybe a little too short. His warm, leaf-green eyes are still as gentle, and as gorgeous as ever.

I remember pining after him. The flush deepens. Heat rises up my neck, and I smile charmingly, hoping I appear more aloof than I feel.

“Nick. Hi. Been a while.”

He’s speechless, eyes still searching. The stunned expression hasn’t left his face. I must seem like a ghost. I feel like one. It’s been so long.

He pulls me to him suddenly, and I stiffen in surprise. His big arms engulf me in a bear hug. I hate that I curl into him and hug him back harder than I have hugged anyone in a long time, excluding my lapse the first day I blew back into town.

When he steps back, his heavy hands are still on my shoulders.

“You look fantastic,” he tells me, and I know he means every word. He loved me when I was ugly. “Very different. Like. So different.” His eyes are wide. “But great. Wow. I can’t believe you’re here.”

I’ve thought of this moment many times. I never pictured him to be so happy to see me. But of course he is. He’s Nick.

“You too, Nick. You’ve aged well.” We’re only twenty-one years old—Nick actually twenty-two—but I feel like I’ve aged a lifetime since I was last here. “Is it weird to say you look a lot like your dad?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Good. Because I always thought your dad was pretty hot.”

He exhales a breathy laugh, shaking his head. “Good to see your sense of humour hasn’t changed.” He smiles then. His wide, friendly smile. “Can we have dinner? Catch up?”

My mind automatically scrambles to think of a hundred excuses not to. I have none. Because I would love to have dinner with Nick. I also can’t wrap my head around the fact that he ishappyto see me.

It’s also really nice of him to ask. Now I know for sure he doesn’t hate me. That’s a bonus.

“Are you asking me out, Nick?” I give him a catlike grin.

He turns pink.

“Yes, Josephine.” He nods, smiling. “I’m asking you out. As old friends.”

I roll my eyes. “That’s boring. And it’s Josie now.”

He inches a little closer to me, enjoying the flirting. “Would you like it to not be as old friends?”

I offer a one-shoulder shrug.

His grin widens. “Then sure. I’m asking you out, Josie. What do you say?”

“I’ll think about it,” I say breezily.

Joanne slides my coffee over the counter. I thank her with a nod before turning to leave.

“That’s it?” Nick presses, standing in front of me.

“What’s it?”

He shakes his head at me, trying not to smile. “You’re going to make me work for it all over again, aren’t you?”