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Back Long Story Short Save as PDF
Chapters (61)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. EPILOGUE
  55. THANK YOU!
  56. MORE FROM VICTORIA WALTERS
  57. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  58. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  59. ALSO BY VICTORIA WALTERS
  60. Boldwood Ever After
  61. About Boldwood Books

‘I was stunned. I thought you had decided there was no hope for us. Then suddenly, you were telling me you’d felt the same way that I had. So, I wondered if there was a reason to hope but I didn’t have time to respond before you walked away. Once I’d come to my senses, I followed you but then of course I walked in on you and Hayley…’ Jake ran a hand through his hair. ‘I was worried I’d overstepped during that meeting, butting in and making demands; I thought maybe you were annoyed with me. But I still couldn’t stop thinking about you, and us, and hoping there still was a chance. So, when it came to writing a dedication to my book, I had to use it, and the note, to tell you how I feel.’

Jake came around the island so it wasn’t in between us any more and put his glass of wine down. I copied him. He reached out and touched my arm. The touch was gentle and only lasted a second but my body instantly craved more. ‘I know we met long before the airport but I told you, I wasn’t myself in those few months. I felt like I saw you properly for the first time that day. I was shocked when you mentioned it had been like a meet-cute because I thought there was no way you’d be interested in me. Then we got closer and you did seem interested. When I saw you and Davis at the end of conference party, I let all my trust issues take over. I thought you didn’t feel the same, that again, I had put my trust in the wrong person…’

I stepped closer and Jake’s words died on his lips. ‘Jake, I did the same thing. I was scared that I was starting to think what we had was something out of a romance novel. That maybe the happy ever after I had always wanted but never thought might happen could actually be possible. So, when I thought you didn’t feel the same, I shut down. I didn’t want to get hurt. I got hurt anyway, though.’ I sighed. ‘You said that we were too different and I thought that we were. I had always been intimidated by you, and it just made me think that you’d never want to be with someone like me so I shut you out.’

‘I thought the same. Why would you want to be with me?’

‘Um… why would you want to be with me?’ I countered.

49

We both stared at one another.

Then Jake chuckled and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me towards him. My breath hitched as I looked up at him and reached up to hook my arms around his neck. My body felt better for being able to touch him again.