The Bridge Between by Lindsey Brackett

Author:Lindsey Brackett [Brackett, Lindsey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Firefly Southern Fiction
Published: 2019-07-31T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 34

Lou, a blush blooming across her cheeks, slid from his arms and down the hall, sidestepping Grace. David stood still, arms akimbo, feeling he’d just dropped something but was afraid to check and see if it had broken.

“Lou, wait …” His voice tripped over the words.

“I’ve got to be going.” She paused in the doorway, though, and brushed a hand across her face before striding out.

“I brought you a pound cake.” Hastily, Grace set the Tupperware on the counter and looked at him, her own cheeks scarlet. “Go after her, David. My car’s got hers blocked in.”

The slow-motion replay halted, and time started again. Yes. This time he wouldn’t let her leave.

Outside, Lou stood next to her minivan, head hung and hands pressed against the door. Whatever they’d been exploring had definitely broken her.

He said her name and stepped closer, hoping to say more.

She pushed off the vehicle, tightening her sweater across her chest as a wind picked up and blew a chill between them. “I’m going to walk. Clear my head.”

“I’ll walk with you.” Thank goodness the boys had followed Grace’s cake inside.

She shrugged and set off toward Jungle Road. Head bent, arms tucked into herself, her grey sweater and dark jeans made her nearly blend in with this stretch of gnarled trees and spiky yuccas.

Like she belonged.

By the time they reached the beach access, he had to ask. Had to stop the wondering. “Would you have been happy if we’d come back here?”

“You didn’t want to.” Her words landed in that space between them, that chasm of the past as cracked and broken as the worn old road they’d just traversed.

“That’s not completely true.”

She quickened her stride up the sandy path toward the ocean. “Don’t fling about words you might not mean, David.”

He upped his own steps to a near sprint, catching her and slipping his hand under her elbow, propelling her to a stop.

She pulled back and wrapped her arms across her chest. The ocean’s breeze made her hair dance around her cheekbones. A strand caught in the dampness of her lashes and she hastily brushed it aside.

“I want to try again, Lou, please.” The words gushed from him, and he’d been helpless to hold them back—the way the beach gave way to great surges of storm.

Her throat worked. He could see the shimmer of swallows as she tried to gain composure. Both hands dashed at her cheeks as she turned away. “I can’t do this. Not now. Maybe not ever.”

“Why not?”

She turned back to him. He’d hoped she would.

Fisting her hands on his sweatshirt, she shook her head. “Why would you even want to be with me again? I’m selfish and difficult and—”

“Passionate and thoughtful.” He let the corner of his mouth quirk into a half-smile when she dropped her head to his chest, actually laughing.

“I think you mean stubborn and controlling.” She lifted her chin, the brief moment of mirth dying with the intensity of her gaze.

Covering her hands with his, he nodded. “I know you can be all those things, Lou.

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