Heather notices something's off. “You okay, babe?”
“Carrie Anne's back in town,” I admit, watching her face carefully for a reaction.
Heather's eyebrows raise slightly, but her voice is steady when she replies, “Oh? That's... unexpected.”
I nod, relief washing over me at her calm response. “Probably just visiting family.”
We sit in silence for a moment before Heather speaks again. “You know, if you want to say hello, catch up... that would be okay.”
I turn to face her fully, taking her hands in mine. “Heather, you're the only one I want to catch up with every day for the rest of my life.”
She smiles, but there's a hint of worry in her eyes. “I know, but she was a big part of your life once. It's natural to be curious.”
Before I can respond, my phone buzzes. It's a text from an unknown number:
936-456-7890: Hey stranger, heard you were still in town. Coffee sometime?
My stomach drops as I realize Carrie Anne has made the first move. Now I have to decide: ignore the text and hope she takes the hint, or face my past head-on?
I decide not to let it get to me. Right now, I’m just going to enjoy being snuggled up to the most beautiful woman on the planet before I follow her back to Lawson Ridge.
Three hours later, I am back at Lawson Ridge, walking into Page Turners to meet Heather and I hear her voice before I see her, that lilting southern drawl that used to make my knees weak.
“Well, if it isn’t Lincoln Montgomery.”
Slowly, I turn to face the voice I haven't heard in years.
Carrie Anne stands near the mystery section, a paperback in her hand and a hesitant smile on her face. She looks different, yet exactly the same - her blonde hair is shorter now, and there are tiny lines around her eyes that weren't there in high school. But her smile, those bright blue eyes - they're just as I remember.
“Carrie Anne,” I manage to say, my voice sounding strangled even to my own ears. “I… didn't expect to see you here.”
She laughs, a sound that brings back a flood of memories. “Well, some things never change. I always did love this bookstore.”
I nod, unsure of what to say next. The awkwardness stretches between us like a physical thing.
“Lincoln?” Heather's voice cuts through the tension, and I've never been so grateful to hear it. She appears from behind a bookshelf, her eyes darting between Carrie Anne and me. “Oh, hello,” she says, her tone polite but cool.
“Heather, this is Carrie Anne,” I say, the introduction feeling surreal. “Carrie Anne, this is my girlfriend, Heather. We all went to school together.”
Carrie Anne's eyes widen slightly at the word 'girlfriend', but she recovers quickly. “It's nice to meet you, Heather.”
Heather nods, stepping closer to me. “Welcome back to town.”
The three of us stand there, the air thick with unspoken words and shared history. I clear my throat, desperate to break the silence. “So, Carrie Anne, how long are you in town for?”
She shrugs, her fingers playing with the pages of the book she's holding. “Not sure yet. I'm... well, I'm thinking of moving back, actually.”
The news hits me like a punch to the gut. I feel Heather stiffen beside me, her hand finding mine and squeezing it tight.
“That's... wow,” I stammer. “Big change.”
Carrie Anne nods, her eyes never leaving mine. “Yeah, it is. But sometimes you need to go back to move forward, you know?”
I don't know how to respond to that, but thankfully, I don't have to. Heather speaks up, her voice steady and sure.
“Well, we should let you get back to your shopping. It was nice to meet you, Carrie Anne.”
Carrie Anne nods, seeming to understand the dismissal. “You too, Heather. And Lincoln... it was good to see you.”
