in his life based on loyalty and love, including the decision to help and care for a man who had once threatened to kill him?
No, he surely didn’t mean that. He meant why did she cut him out of her life. “College happened, Will.”
He put a hand on the roof of the car behind her, trapping her completely. “We have to talk.”
This close, she could see every detail, in living, sunwashed color. The navy rim around the lighter blue of his eyes, the reddish tips of his thick black lashes, even the thread-thin crow’s feet from all those years of squinting at a pitcher sixty feet away.
Without thinking, she reached up and brushed a few grains of sand and dirt from his cheeks, his skin warm and taut to the touch. “You get dirty at your job.”
“Always liked a job like that.”
She could actually feel herself falling into the blue of his eyes, like the Gulf, swirling around her, warm and inviting and gentle. “Do you like being a carpenter, Will?”
“When are we going to talk?” His voice was low, direct, as unwavering as his gaze.
“I’ll be back in the next few days,” she said, purposefully vague even though it was obvious he wanted to be anything but.
“Cancel tonight. Have dinner with me.”
She tried to back away, but the car was right behind her. “I can’t. I promised—”
“Lacey, I know. But you’ve known me longer.”
She swallowed, surprised by his determination and so fundamentally drawn to it. He still made her feel like her skin was on fire and her head was a little too light. Still.
But surely he didn’t still feel that way, not after all these years. Because if he did, he sure as hell wouldn’t be taking care of the person who had torn them apart. So his loyalty—the steadfast, unwavering loyalty that thrummed through his veins—must be directed at Guy now.
And then she knew what he wanted from her: to change her mind. “You want to talk me out of this, don’t you?”
“No.”
She absolutely didn’t believe him. “Are you sure? Because five hours ago you were pretty dead set against putting him in a home.”
He closed his eyes. “I still am, but I want to talk to you.”
“There’s nothing to say.”
His eyes flashed. “After fifteen years? There’s a lot to say. A lot to catch up on.” He leaned closer, his face inches away. Too close. Too warm. Too attractive. “Please, Jocelyn. We go too far back, we shared too much to just act like casual acquaintances with a”—he gestured toward the house—“issue. We have to discuss… everything.”
“Like what?”
“Like your life and mine, like where you’ve been, who you’ve.…” His voice trailed off, uncomfortable. “If you’ve ever thought about me.”
She almost laughed. Almost told him the truth.
Just every damn night and most days, Will.
“Of course I’ve thought of you. I—”
“So have I.” He got closer, too close. The magnetic force field between them sparked and arced and drew her to him. Instead of giving in, she put her hand on his chest, ready to push, stunned to feel his heart slam like a jackhammer. His chest was damp, hard, and so, so warm under the thin cotton T-shirt.
Before she could take her hand away from the heat, he pressed his on top of hers. “Don’t shut me out.” Again. He didn’t say the final word, but she could hear it, unspoken but deafening.
“I… I…” It was like the earth was shifting under her, a terrifying tilt that made her feel like she was losing control. She tried to snap her hand away, but he pressed harder. “I won’t shut you out. I’m sure I’ll see you a lot while I’m here getting Guy’s things in order.” She slid her gaze toward the house. “We’ll catch up.”
Very slowly, he closed his fist over hers, slipping his hand around hers so that their fingers entwined. “I just want to know who you’ve become.”
“Why?”
His eyes flickered in surprise. “Why? Because I cared about you. I… wondered about you.”
Not enough to hunt her down, though. She swallowed the thought; leaving Will without saying good-bye and never calling him had been her decision. He just went along with it.
She took a deep, shuddering breath. “Okay, but you might not like everything I have to say.”
“I’m willing to take that chance.” He pulled their fisted hands up to his mouth, searing her knuckles with his warm breath. “Because… seeing you again, well…” He lowered his head, touched her cheek with his, and whispered