Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Lincoln
M y phone buzzes on the coffee table, but I don’t want to move. Heather is snuggled up on my chest. It’s been a perfect day off so far.
“You gonna get that?” she asks.
I lean over and grab my phone, swiping to open the text.
Blake: Heads up. Carrie Ann is back in town.
I want to hide forever. When my old friend from high school calls to give me the heads up, my heart stops.
Listen, yes I was heartbroken when she broke up with me right after Prom, but it ended up being the best thing that ever happened to me.
Heather and I were always meant to be, and I just didn’t pull my head out of my ass back then to realize.
I won’t make that same mistake now. However, the town is small and eventually I will run into her. It’s only a matter of time.
Heather notices something's off. “You okay, babe?”
“Carrie Anne's back in town,” I admit, watching her face carefully for a reaction.
Heather's eyebrows raise slightly, but her voice is steady when she replies, “Oh? That's... unexpected.”
I nod, relief washing over me at her calm response. “Probably just visiting family.”
We sit in silence for a moment before Heather speaks again. “You know, if you want to say hello, catch up... that would be okay.”
I turn to face her fully, taking her hands in mine. “Heather, you're the only one I want to catch up with every day for the rest of my life.”
She smiles, but there's a hint of worry in her eyes. “I know, but she was a big part of your life once. It's natural to be curious.”
Before I can respond, my phone buzzes. It's a text from an unknown number:
936-456-7890: Hey stranger, heard you were still in town. Coffee sometime?
My stomach drops as I realize Carrie Anne has made the first move. Now I have to decide: ignore the text and hope she takes the hint, or face my past head-on?
I decide not to let it get to me. Right now, I’m just going to enjoy being snuggled up to the most beautiful woman on the planet before I follow her back to Lawson Ridge.
Three hours later, I am back at Lawson Ridge, walking into Page Turners to meet Heather and I hear her voice before I see her, that lilting southern drawl that used to make my knees weak.
“Well, if it isn’t Lincoln Montgomery.”
Slowly, I turn to face the voice I haven't heard in years.
Carrie Anne stands near the mystery section, a paperback in her hand and a hesitant smile on her face.
She looks different, yet exactly the same - her blonde hair is shorter now, and there are tiny lines around her eyes that weren't there in high school.
But her smile, those bright blue eyes - they're just as I remember.
“Carrie Anne,” I manage to say, my voice sounding strangled even to my own ears. “I… didn't expect to see you here.”
She laughs, a sound that brings back a flood of memories. “Well, some things never change. I always did love this bookstore.”
I nod, unsure of what to say next. The awkwardness stretches between us like a physical thing.
“Lincoln?” Heather's voice cuts through the tension, and I've never been so grateful to hear it. She appears from behind a bookshelf, her eyes darting between Carrie Anne and me. “Oh, hello,” she says, her tone polite but cool.
“Heather, this is Carrie Anne,” I say, the introduction feeling surreal. “Carrie Anne, this is my girlfriend, Heather. We all went to school together.”
Carrie Anne's eyes widen slightly at the word 'girlfriend', but she recovers quickly. “It's nice to meet you, Heather.”
Heather nods, stepping closer to me. “Welcome back to town.”
The three of us stand there, the air thick with unspoken words and shared history. I clear my throat, desperate to break the silence. “So, Carrie Anne, how long are you in town for?”
She shrugs, her fingers playing with the pages of the book she's holding. “Not sure yet. I'm... well, I'm thinking of moving back, actually.”
The news hits me like a punch to the gut. I feel Heather stiffen beside me, her hand finding mine and squeezing it tight.
“That's... wow,” I stammer. “Big change.”
Carrie Anne nods, her eyes never leaving mine. “Yeah, it is. But sometimes you need to go back to move forward, you know?”
I don't know how to respond to that, but thankfully, I don't have to. Heather speaks up, her voice steady and sure.
“Well, we should let you get back to your shopping. It was nice to meet you, Carrie Anne.”
Carrie Anne nods, seeming to understand the dismissal. “You too, Heather. And Lincoln... it was good to see you.”
As we walk away, I can feel Carrie Anne's eyes on my back.
Outside the bookstore, Heather's hand is still firmly in mine, but her eyes are fixed straight ahead. I can almost see the gears turning in her mind.
“You okay?” I ask, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
She turns to me, her green eyes searching my face. “Are you?”
I nod. “It's just... unexpected,” I say finally. “I never thought she'd come back here.”
Heather nods slowly. “And now she might be staying. How do you feel about that?”
“Honestly? I don't know. But what I do know is that it doesn't change anything between us. You're my present and my future, Heather. Carrie Anne is just... a ghost from the past.”
Heather's expression softens, but I can still see a hint of worry in her eyes. “I trust you, Lincoln. I do. But... she was your first love. That's not something you just forget.”
I'm about to respond when my phone buzzes again. We both look down at the screen:
Carrie Anne: It was great seeing you today. Can we talk sometime? There's something I need to tell you.
Heather reads the message over my shoulder, her body tensing. I quickly pocket the phone, but the damage is done.
“You should talk to her,” Heather says, her voice quiet. “Clear the air. Maybe then we can all move forward. Go back inside.”
I nod, knowing she's right but dreading the conversation to come. “I love you.”
“Love you too. I’ll see you at my house after, okay?” She places her hand on my chest and kisses me.
I watch her walk away, and go back inside to see Carrie Anne and put my past behind me for good.
As I step back into Page Turners, I spot Carrie Anne in the corner, leafing through a worn paperback. Taking a deep breath, I make my way over to her.
“Hey,” I say, my voice steadier than I feel.
She looks up, surprise and something else—relief?—flickering across her face. “Lincoln. I didn't think you'd come back.”
I shrug, trying for nonchalance. “You said you needed to talk.”
Carrie Anne nods, closing the book and setting it aside. “Can we sit?”
We move to a small table tucked away in the corner. For a moment, we just look at each other, the years stretching between us like an invisible barrier.
“So,” I finally say, “what did you want to tell me?”
Carrie Anne takes a deep breath, her fingers drumming nervously on the table. “I owe you an apology, Lincoln. For how things ended between us. I was young and scared and... I made a mistake.”
I feel a twinge in my chest, old pain resurfacing. “It was a long time ago.”
“I know,” she says softly. “But it's haunted me. I've thought about you, about us, so many times over the years. And now that I'm back…” She trails off, her eyes meeting mine.
I can see the unspoken question there, the hope. But all I feel is a dull ache, like pressing on an old bruise.
“I appreciate the apology. But I'm with Heather now. I love her.”
She nods, a sad smile crossing her face. “I know. I can see it. I just... I guess I needed you to know how sorry I am. And that I've never stopped caring about you.”
I reach across the table, squeezing her hand briefly. “Thank you for telling me. I hope you find happiness here, I really do. But for me, that happiness is with Heather.”
As I stand to leave, Carrie Anne calls out softly, “Lincoln? I'm glad you found her. You deserve that kind of love.”
I nod, feeling a weight lift from my shoulders as I walk out of the bookstore. The past is finally where it belongs—behind me. And my future, my Heather, is waiting.