Chapter 28 Faith
TWENTY-EIGHT
FAITH
Dinner with the girls never disappoints. Apparently, it’s interrogation time…
“What happened?” Kendall asks.
“We spent most of the day together, and he handed me a letter that opened my heart to him even more.” Right now, my heart is beating rapidly in my chest as I talk about the letter Jude wrote to me.
I end up giving the girls the details of the day and everything that had unfolded since we saw each other yesterday.
“You finally have some more answers!” Kendall beams as she looks at me.
“My mind is reeling knowing we leave on Friday. What then?”
“Spend every minute with him, if that’s what you want. The big question is, what do you want?” Lane questions me with one eyebrow raised.
I want to see where this all leads, but there’s more that needs to be figured out.
I’m still hoping to spend more time with him, learn more about him, and allow things to develop.
As I touch my hip, I realize that, if he doesn’t start the abortion conversation, I need to.
It’s a big part of our story, and the need to talk about it is building inside of me.
The letter was heartfelt and handing it to me after all these years took courage. He had no way of knowing how I would react, but he did it anyway. A smile stretches across my face as I think about meeting up with him and walking along the beach tonight, where we can talk some more.
“I’m figuring that out. Right now, I want to spend tonight with him.”
“One moment at a time,” Kendall says as she looks at me with love in her eyes.
“You guys don’t mind, right? I know this is supposed to be a girls’ trip, but it’s gotten hijacked by Jude.”
“Girl, you know we’re here for you. We just want you to be happy. If spending time with Jude is making you happy, then we fully support it.”
Kendall, Addison, and Lane are the kind of best friends who stick by you through thick and thin, always ready with a smile and words of encouragement.
Despite knowing my past with Jude, they still encourage me to be with him, assuring me I’m not losing my mind.
Being with him makes me feel vibrant and alive.
We were head over heels for each other, and I can’t fathom how I lived without this electric connection for so long.
It’s the feeling I’ve been chasing for years, a sensation that was non-existent with every other date.
There was barely even a hint of a spark, let alone a flame, just emptiness.
Jude has shown me, in such a short time, how our hearts connect in a profound way.
“That’s exactly what I’m going to do. We’re meeting up for a walk on the beach. Just like old times, we’ll sit, watch the sunset, and stargaze.” My body heats up at the thought of being in his embrace and feeling cherished—like I’m his lifeline.
“Aw, how sweet, Faith,” Addison remarks, giving me a side hug.
“It was all his idea.” His presence fills me with happiness.
My heart swells when he’s near, and those damn butterflies flutter in my stomach…
They are really something else. The memory of the hurt and pain lingers, but his presence seems to soften those memories, replacing them with tenderness and perspective.
“For him to take care of you last night was above and beyond. He seems like a good guy,” Lane says.
She’s right. He is a good guy, even after all these years. The person he is hasn’t really changed. He is sweet, caring, loving…everything I’ve always wanted in a partner.
“Yep, he is one of the good ones, and us meeting here feels like it was meant to happen,” I reply with stars in my eyes, thinking about him and how all of this is serendipitous.
Following dinner, my friends make their way to the pool area, and I go back to my room. Jude is coming to get me soon, and I’m excited to find out what the night has in store for us under the night sky.