As we walk away, I can feel Carrie Anne's eyes on my back.
Outside the bookstore, Heather's hand is still firmly in mine, but her eyes are fixed straight ahead. I can almost see the gears turning in her mind.
“You okay?” I ask, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
She turns to me, her green eyes searching my face. “Are you?”
I nod. “It's just... unexpected,” I say finally. “I never thought she'd come back here.”
Heather nods slowly. “And now she might be staying. How do you feel about that?”
“Honestly? I don't know. But what I do know is that it doesn't change anything between us. You're my present and my future, Heather. Carrie Anne is just... a ghost from the past.”
Heather's expression softens, but I can still see a hint of worry in her eyes. “I trust you, Lincoln. I do. But... she was your first love. That's not something you just forget.”
I'm about to respond when my phone buzzes again. We both look down at the screen:
Carrie Anne: It was great seeing you today. Can we talk sometime? There's something I need to tell you.
Heather reads the message over my shoulder, her body tensing. I quickly pocket the phone, but the damage is done.
“You should talk to her,” Heather says, her voice quiet. “Clear the air. Maybe then we can all move forward. Go back inside.”
I nod, knowing she's right but dreading the conversation to come. “I love you.”
“Love you too. I’ll see you at my house after, okay?” She places her hand on my chest and kisses me.
I watch her walk away, and go back inside to see Carrie Anne and put my past behind me for good.
As I step back into Page Turners, I spot Carrie Anne in the corner, leafing through a worn paperback. Taking a deep breath, I make my way over to her.
“Hey,” I say, my voice steadier than I feel.
She looks up, surprise and something else—relief?—flickering across her face. “Lincoln. I didn't think you'd come back.”
I shrug, trying for nonchalance. “You said you needed to talk.”
Carrie Anne nods, closing the book and setting it aside. “Can we sit?”
We move to a small table tucked away in the corner. For a moment, we just look at each other, the years stretching between us like an invisible barrier.
“So,” I finally say, “what did you want to tell me?”
Carrie Anne takes a deep breath, her fingers drumming nervously on the table. “I owe you an apology, Lincoln. For how things ended between us. I was young and scared and... I made a mistake.”
I feel a twinge in my chest, old pain resurfacing. “It was a long time ago.”
“I know,” she says softly. “But it's haunted me. I've thought about you, about us, so many times over the years. And now that I'm back…” She trails off, her eyes meeting mine.
I can see the unspoken question there, the hope. But all I feel is a dull ache, like pressing on an old bruise.
“I appreciate the apology. But I'm with Heather now. I love her.”
She nods, a sad smile crossing her face. “I know. I can see it. I just... I guess I needed you to know how sorry I am. And that I've never stopped caring about you.”
I reach across the table, squeezing her hand briefly. “Thank you for telling me. I hope you find happiness here, I really do. But for me, that happiness is with Heather.”
As I stand to leave, Carrie Anne calls out softly, “Lincoln? I'm glad you found her. You deserve that kind of love.”
