The Palms (11 page)
Authors: S Celi
“I was afraid. I’ll admit that.”
“I’m not going to be with someone who can’t tell me the whole truth.”
“Can’t you see? I’m doing just that.” He hesitated. “I’ve told you everything. I promise. Everything.”
She pulled herself away from the concrete and took a step to him. As she did, her heart broke — not from pain, but from sympathy. “What do you really want from me, Trent?”
“That’s the second time you’ve asked that question tonight,” he observed.
“Maybe that’s because I really want to know.” She frowned a little. “I mean, can people really have a second chance?”
“They can. We can.” His hand pinched the bridge of his nose. “This is that moment, Lauren. One more chance to make things different. Make things right. Make it count.”
“But that doesn’t mean—”
“Lauren, people wish for a chance like this all the time, and they never get it. We have one. Let’s not waste it.”
She considered his words. “But like I said, I’m not the same girl you left.”
“I know you’re not,” he said. “You’re better.”
She took another step to him, and when she did, he took a leap and linked his other hand with hers. She looked down at them as she considered things. “You know,” she finally said. “I’m glad I know what happened. I always wondered.”
He pulled her little closer. “Will you give me a second chance? Maybe it’s not a second chance. More like a third.” He laughed a little. “Forgiveness. It’s one of the best things about life.”
She answered with a half-smile. “Yes, it is.”
He leaned forward, almost daring not to breathe. They were on the edge of something new, something fresh, and he sensed it everywhere. “You’ll forgive me?”
She nodded. “I forgive you. Again.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, he seized the moment, kissing her full on the lips. She tasted so sweet, so comforting, so delectable, and he wondered if he’d ever be able to stop. His left hand cupped the back of her neck and he swung her around as he kissed her until he pinned her once again to the wall. Their kisses deepened with each passing moment until he pulled away.
“I could have done this better,” he breathed. “A rooftop dinner. A hotel suite. A tennis bracelet.” He ran his thumb across her hairline. “Something big to make this right.”
“I don’t want any grand gestures.” Lauren ran her index finger along his jaw line, allowing hope to fill up inside her. Maybe they really could do this again. “I just want you, Trent. And the truth. For real.”
“I know.” Trent put one hand on her arm to steady himself, and the other one cupped her chin. He could barely believe the twists fate had brought him in life. “So, Gumdrop, you’ll get it. Me. And the truth. For real.”
I dedicate this story to everyone who has ever wanted a second chance at love.
To my husband, Sean, special thanks once again. I am in awe of how you believe in me when I don’t believe in myself.
Special thanks to: Cynthia, Mary Karen, Lisa, Josselyn, and Cindy. Without your great and thoughtful feedback, I would never have completed this work. Thank you for being amazing.
Jennifer: thanks once again for the awesome copy edits. You rock!
To the blogger community: thank you for embracing me. It can be a lonely journey in the author world, so I very much appreciate your help and support. I am especially grateful to
Laurynne at Coffee, Books and Lip-gloss
, and
Letitia at Romantic Book Affairs
.
To
JT Formatting
: thank you for the great book design. I can’t wrap my head around HTML, but you do so effortlessly.
Finally, if you are reading this: thank you. You have many choices for your eyes these days. It means the world to me that you took a chance and read my work.
New Orleans born, S. Celi has lived all over the United States. She calls the Greater Cincinnati area and the Queen City home. She has spent more than a decade of her life working in journalism. She graduated cum laude from Western Kentucky University in 2004.
In her spare time, she likes to read, shop, write, travel, run long distances, volunteer with the Junior League, and fundraise for Cooperative for Education, a non-profit providing educational opportunities for Guatemalan kids.
Other Works by S. Celi
For more information about S. Celi and her books, visit:
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