All I Ask(55)

“I wish it was that simple.”

She smiles softly. “Nothing is simple. But when someone makes you feel better in this world, they’re a chance worth taking.”

“You mean Teagan?”

“Sweetheart, you and Teagan have always been like two planets orbiting one another. When you told us you were getting married, do you know I thought it was to her?”

“You never…”

“Of course I never said anything, and when you stopped talking to her, I assumed it was because Meghan had the same concerns.”

I will never underestimate my mother again. “Yes.”

“She was probably right to be doubtful, but it was sad for Teagan, don’t you think?” And me. It was sad for everyone all around. “I would hate to see you hurt her again because of Meghan. The words you heard tonight from Everly weren’t hers. They were her mother’s. We both know it and now you get to decide if you’re going to allow someone else to dictate who you love or whether you’re finally going to listen to your heart.”





Chapter Twenty-Six





Teagan




Present



I’m parked outside the restaurant where we’re supposed to meet. My nerves are out of control. Thank God Nina came over and picked out my clothes because I was completely lost.

What the hell do you wear to a date with a man you’ve loved your whole adult life?

Nothing looked right. I was trying too hard, not trying hard enough, or just plain frumpy.

Now, I’m here, in a deep purple dress and my hair curled in long waves—sitting in the car—like a chicken shit.

This is crazy. This is completely stupid and crazy. Derek can’t possibly want to date me, not really. He wants to figure out some weird thing in our past and see if it’s true. He must be just…going through some move-back-to-small-town-life crisis.

I start the car and then a knock causes me to jump. “Jesus.”

Derek is at the window, with a smile on his face. “Going somewhere?”

I close my eyes and let my head fall to the steering wheel. “God, I hate my life.”

“Were you running away?”

“Not very well.”

He chuckles and then opens the door. “No, but I give you a C for effort.”

“Just a C?” I ask as I turn my head to the side to catch a glimpse of him.

“I’m being generous too.”

Lucky me. “How long were you watching me?”

I have a feeling this is going to be the worst part. If he just happened upon me I won’t have to die from mortification, but if he was somehow skulking in the shadows and saw me sitting here for fifteen minutes, I’ll never live it down.

“Oh, since you pulled up.”

“Of course.”

“What were you doing? Convincing yourself it’s totally cool to bail on your date? I know you didn’t like being on the receiving end of it.”

“I wasn’t going to bail like he did. I planned to have a better reason,” I huff.

“How magnanimous of you.”

He leans over me, turning the engine off, and taking my keys.

“Hey!”

“We’re not eating in the car and really, you’ve lost the element of surprise.”

I glare at him as he grins. “Fine.”

“Just the way I like my dates to start off…”

I laugh and shake my head. “You haven’t been on a date in over thirteen years.”

Derek wraps his arm around my shoulder, pulling me to him. “Yes, and look how great this one is already going.”

We enter the restaurant and get to our table. I haven’t been to Pasta Palace since I was in high school. It’s a few towns over, which we thought was a good idea so we lessen the chances of running into anyone. Privacy is a commodity we don’t have an abundance of.

“You look great,” he says as we look over the menus.

“Thanks. You look good too.”

And he does. Derek has always been good-looking, but man, has he aged well. There’s a sexiness about him that I don’t remember when we were younger. He grew into himself. His body was a little disproportionate and he wasn’t quite sure what looked good or not. There is zero of that now.

Derek commands the space around him, forcing it to conform around him, making his presence felt everywhere.

It’s sexy.

Very sexy.

The waiter appears, takes our drink order, and informs us of the specials.

“Everyone knows you only order off the pasta section here,” I whisper conspiratorially. I would hate to see him end up with food poisoning.

“I didn’t know that.”

“Oh,” I say with dramatics. “It’s a thing. Last month, Nina ended up violently ill after she thought maybe the chicken was safe.”

“And you suggested here because?”

“Because we live on the island and our choices are limited.”

It’s not like we’re basking in options. In the winter, it’s slim pickings. We get what we get and eat in if we don’t like it.

“I forget sometimes what it’s like living here.”

“Yeah, South Carolina was a bit different, huh?”