“What if I don’t want us to have boundaries?”
“I have to have them.”
“Why?”
“You sent me away. I vowed that if you wanted me back, you’d haveto come begging.”
“You always did like it when I begged,” Casey drawled.
Jacqueline reacted viscerally to Casey’s words. Her knees almostbuckled, yet somehow she managed to stay upright. Her heart thudded, poundingblood into her pulse points so heavy she could feel the rhythm.
“Why, Miss Casey, are you flirting with me?” She forced a lighttone, hoping to hide how affected she’d been.
“Maybe. I’m not sure I’d recognize it. Do you know how long it’sbeen since we flirted?” Casey laughed. “At least eight years, right?”
Jacqueline shook her head. “Longer than that. You stopped awhilebefore we split up. And I was too dumb to realize how much I missed it.”
Casey’s expression grew serious. “It’s not all on you. I let someimportant things fall to the wayside as well.”
“Well, the past is the past. Today is for relaxation andrecharging your creative batteries.” Jacqueline drew back as well, determinedto restore the space between them, both physically and emotionally. She’dalready risked ruining the day by letting that kiss go on too long. And Caseyseemed as eager as she to write it off to a moment of weakness. “So,” she wavedtoward the water behind Casey, “back to the birds.”
*
Casey replayed their interaction while Jacqueline drove her home.The conversation they’d started their day with had left her with something tothink about. Despite the arguing and frustration Casey associated with that trip,Jacqueline had managed to hold onto a moment that she’d forgotten. When shereally thought about it, the passion, the love, and the humor in that memoryrepresented the best of them. She’d never have thought Jacqueline would be sosentimental about something that happened so long ago. So much so that she’dplanned this day in an effort to create better memories of Bledsoe Creek. Andshe really had. The rest of their day had been exactly what she’d needed, a dayto decompress—to breathe fresh air and take some photos that had absolutelynothing riding on them professionally.
While they were out on the dock, she’d turned toward Jacquelineand stopped short for a moment. Jacqueline had been staring out across thewater, but clearly she wasn’t focused wherever her gaze landed.
Was she thinking about work? Or Sean? Or another woman? What hadcaptured Jacqueline’s attention so fully while she was with Casey? She’dreacted quickly to a surge of jealousy in the one way she knew she’d gainJacqueline’s attention. She’d flirted, then touched, then kissed. She’d givenin to what her heart wanted instead of what she knew to be prudent. And it hadfelt so good, even when Jacqueline tried to ease away—if you wanted me back, you’d haveto come begging. Jacqueline’s words fueled the competitive fire inher. She imagined any number of the women Jacqueline had slept with over theyears would beg in an instant. So she’d pushed. But Jacqueline’s response hadslowed her down. I wastoo dumb to realize how much I missed it.
In the time that they’d been apart, Jacqueline had never givenany real indication that she’d changed or that she’d wanted to. But those wordswere spoken softly and with more humility than she’d heard from Jacqueline inyears. None of the many apologies and pleas to try again that Jacqueline hadissued in those first months after their split had felt nearly as genuine asthis one sentence.
Now, stealing glances at Jacqueline across the cabin of theLexus, Casey couldn’t shut down the part of her that still cared for her. Cared for? Those wordsdidn’t feel strong enough, but she hesitated to say that she still lovedJacqueline. She had at one time—fiercely. Of course she did. But she didn’twant to admit that Nina had been right. She’d never stopped, but she’d learnedthat love wasn’t the only thing she required. And Jacqueline hadn’t beenwilling to try to give her what she needed.
So what was all that back at the park? Jacqueline pulled the carinto Casey’s driveway and turned off the engine.
Casey angled toward Jacqueline and met her uncertain gaze. “Thankyou for today. It was—”
“I’m sorry. It was weird, I know.”
“I was going to say perfect.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes. It was exactly what I needed.” She didn’t want to analyzethings. The way she felt now—looking at Jacqueline and the happiness shining inher eyes—were enough for the moment.
“Sometimes I can’t believe how much time has gone by.” Jacquelineglanced at the house.
Casey looked too, seeing the hedge that had been only waist highwhen they moved in and now blocked the view of the neighboring house, and theshutters that had been deep green and were now in need of painting. Their sonhad become a man. Yet, Casey didn’t feel that far removed from the woman whofell in love with this house and optimistically planned to grow her familyhere.
“Can I come in for a minute?” Jacqueline asked.
Casey stared straight ahead, not making eye contact withJacqueline. She didn’t want to tell her no, but she wasn’t sure she trustedherself in her current nostalgic state.
“Please. I just want to talk.”
She nodded, then turned away quickly and got out of the car. Shelet them into the house and headed straight for the kitchen, thinking itoffered the least-intimate environment.
“Can I get you something to drink?”
“No. I’m good.”
Casey leaned against the counter. Trying to appear more casualthan she felt, she resisted the urge to fold her arms over her chest. “What didyou want to talk about?”
Jacqueline stood opposite her, just a couple of feet oftravertine between them. “I don’t know what’s going on with us lately. Thosekisses…” She took a breath. “My first instinct is to not bring it up, and I getthe feeling yours is too.”
Casey nodded.
“Because that’s how we communicate with each other. But ignoringour issues has never worked for us before. I’d like to try something different.Okay?”
“Okay.”
“So, I own the first kiss. We were arguing. I got emotional. Butyou were with Nina, and it wasn’t fair of me to put you in that position. Buttoday—I’m not
