The more time I spent with Jonah King, the more I realised that, whoever he’d become, he still had the power to decimate my heart, if he chose to.
My phone buzzed.
Hey
Jonah.
My heart instantly shot into the back of my mouth.
I hope it’s not too late to message
I held my breath and did what I’d always done when it came to him – said exactly what I was thinking, before I had a chance to really think it.
Ooh, only by about thirteen years
He replied instantly.
Ouch
But, as you will have by now deduced, I’m still awake
I hope the kids aren’t still up?
Just me. Kind of hard to sleep when your first love confesses that he can’t think when he’s with you
Which is ironic. Considering that when I’m not with you, you’re all I can think about
My fingers froze on the keypad.
After about half a minute, Jonah messaged again.
Sorry. That was too much. I sound like a total sleaze.
You’re still one of the only people I can be completely open with. I’ve missed it.
I’ve missed you
I reminded myself that I had children now, responsibilities. I couldn’t slip back into an ancient, doomed romance without thinking it through. The first time I’d lost my heart to Jonah had hurt enough people. I couldn’t risk doing that to Finn and Isla.
I counted to ten, decided that was enough thinking, and replied.
I’ve missed you too
Two seconds later my phone rang.
‘Really?’ The last time I’d heard Jonah sound breathless, I’d been in his bed.
‘So, wearegoing to talk about this?’ I asked, feeling giddy.
‘I never stopped loving you, Libby.’
I buried myself further under my duvet. The night air wafting through my open window was fresh and clean from an earlier rainstorm. An owl hooted in the distance.
‘I’m not that girl any more. You don’t even know me now.’
‘I’ve spent two evenings with you. Seen you at work, and with your children. It might not be enough for my head to determine how much you’ve changed and who you are now. But my heart inconveniently refuses to care about that.’
‘Sometimes I wonder if I ever knew the real you before. Let alone now.’
