 
### Table of Contents

Title Page

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

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OTHER BOOKS BY REBECCA TALLEY

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DuBon Publishing

Copyright 2014 Rebecca Talley

All rights reserved

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, situations, dialogue, names, and places are fictional and from the author's imagination. They are not to be construed as real and any similarity to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. The opinions and views contained herein are the author's and do not necessarily represent the views of DuBon Publishing.

Except in the case of brief passages contained in critical reviews and/or articles, no part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, whether that be print, electronic, film, microfilm, or by any other means, without prior written, dated, and signed permission from the author.

Thank you for purchasing this book and respecting the work of this author by not participating in piracy.

#

Brynn Sawyer's nerves twitched as the small airplane neared Seaspray. She clenched her fists and pushed out a loud breath. _Why did I decide to do this?_

"Are you okay, dear?" the lady with white hair in the seat next to her asked. Her voice sounded as if she needed to clear her throat.

With warmed cheeks, Brynn nodded. It was silly that she was so apprehensive about this trip back to her hometown.

"Have you been to Seaspray before?"

"Yes." Brynn didn't say more. She wanted to be left alone, so she could gather her thoughts and rein in her feelings before the plane landed.

"Do you live here?"

"No."

"Here on vacation?"

Brynn mentally rolled her eyes. This woman seemed sweet and it was kind of her to try to have a conversation, but Brynn wasn't prepared for the weekend and talking wouldn't help. "No." Guilt began to gnaw at her, so she said, "I grew up in Seaspray." Brynn laid her head back. _Maybe now she'll stop asking me questions_.

The woman coughed a few times and smoothed her short hair. "Oh, where do you live now?"

_I guess she's going to keep talking to me. I shouldn't be rude._ "I live in Houston. I moved there right after college."

"Are you coming to see your parents?"

_I wish_. "No. They don't live here anymore."

"Business trip?"

Brynn adjusted her weight in her seat. "A reunion, actually." She swallowed. "High school."

"Ah." The woman studied Brynn. "Not looking forward to it?"

_Is that written on my face?_

"I've become good at reading people in my old age." She smiled, exposing crooked front teeth.

Brynn drew in a deep breath. "High school wasn't that awesome, but my best friend--that I haven't seen in years--talked me into coming. Now..."

"You wish you were headed back to Houston?"

"Yes." A surge of relief swelled inside Brynn. Maybe talking to this lady would help her put her anxiety in its proper place.

After a few minutes, the lady said, "I went to my fiftieth reunion some years ago. A bunch of senior citizens showed up. I don't know what they did with my classmates, but that room was full of old people, not the kids I knew in high school." She laughed then coughed a few times. "I guess we all change."

Brynn nodded, reminding herself that she wasn't the same nerdy girl who tripped all over her words anymore. Right?

"My Frank was such a handsome man. All the girls liked him." The woman rested her head back against the seat. "He was our senior class president and played football. He had the highest grades in the school. I didn't think he'd ever want to take _me_ on a date. I was shy and liked to spend my time at the library. Frank was popular and outgoing. I admired him from afar because I felt like I didn't quite measure up." She looked at Brynn. "Probably makes no sense to a beautiful young woman like you."

"Actually, it makes a lot of sense." Brynn found herself fascinated by the woman's story. "What happened with Frank?"

"After high school, he started working on our farm doing odd jobs. He built fences and milked the cows. He and Daddy became good friends. I'd see him every day and dream about him every night. Then he went off to college."

"And?"

"He came home from school one weekend." A smile slowly spread across her face as if the memories were playing out right in front of her. "Came over to our house and stood on the porch. He had a hat in his hands and he liked to have ruined it while he stood there twisting it over and over again."

"What did he say?" Brynn was a sucker for a great romance.

"He looked at me with his deep blue eyes--the color of the sky right before the sun sets--and said, 'Myrna, I want to marry you.'"

"Just like that?" Brynn asked.

"Just like that." Her eyes filled with tears. "He said he'd loved me since the day we'd sat by each other in English class. He just didn't have the courage to ask me on a date because he said I intimidated him. He thought I was too beautiful." She laughed. "Imagine that. He thought _I_ was too beautiful."

"Where is he now?"

"Oh, he passed last year." Her expression saddened. "I miss him something fierce."

"I'm sorry." Brynn's heart felt heavy.

"Don't be. He was the love of my life. We were blessed with a long and happy marriage and three lovely daughters. My oldest, Barbara, moved to Seaspray a few years ago. I visit her and her sisters regularly. Helps to pass the time."

Brynn imagined this woman's full life filled with warm memories of the man she loved. She hoped to have the same. Someday.

"What about you? Have you met your true love?"

"Me?" Brynn waved her hand. "I don't know."

"Maybe someone you'll see this weekend?"

"Maybe." She took a quick breath. "I don't want to get my hopes up, but... I'd sure like to see a guy named Troy again. It's been ten years since we graduated. I don't even know where's he's been or if he's married or if he'd even remember me."

"Tell me about him." The woman's kind eyes urged Brynn on.

Brynn couldn't stop her mouth from curling. "He played basketball. I used to go to the games to watch him."

"Did you ever talk to him?'

"No. Well, not really. Not in high school. He had his group of friends, and I had mine. I was in theater. Our worlds didn't interact much." Brynn drew in a long breath. "But that didn't stop me from wishing."

"Go on," the woman said with a sincere smile.

"I so wanted to go to prom with him. I even imagined it all in my head." Brynn could still remember in detail how the night had gone on her fantasy date with Troy, even down to the flowers he brought her. Too bad it never happened in reality.

"Did you go with him?"

"No." Brynn shook her head. "He went with his girlfriend. A cheerleader, of course. Part of his group." The disappointment still stung.

The lady patted Brynn's arm, conveying her empathy. After a few moments, she asked, "Did you go to your prom?"

"Yeah. With my best friend, Craig."

"And?"

"It was awesome. Craig and I always had so much fun together. He made me laugh all the time. It wasn't romantic or anything, but a lot of fun. " Craig had this way of making her laugh and enjoy whatever they were doing together.

"Will he be at the reunion?"

Brynn shrugged. "I don't know. We lost contact after graduation." She'd wondered over the years what had happened to Craig and wished they'd kept in touch.

The pilot spoke over the crackly intercom and told them to prepare for landing. After some bumps and lunges, the plane slowed.

The woman laid her frail, warm hand over Brynn's. "I hope you have a wonderful time at the reunion and I hope you get to see your Troy."

_My Troy?_ Brynn giggled to herself _. I wish._ "Thank you. Enjoy visiting your daughter."

"If there's anything I've learned at my age, it's to seize the moment. Don't let yours pass you by."

Brynn exited the plane and stood at the baggage carousel thinking about her conversation on the plane. Would she have a "moment" at the reunion? Was that too much to hope for? She spotted her navy blue suitcase and grabbed it, noticing that the airport had some improvements since the last time she'd visited Seaspray six years ago.

Brynn found the white four-door Chevy Impala she'd reserved out in the parking lot and plunged the key into the ignition. The engine rumbled and she was off. Rolling down the windows, she let the aromatic ocean air filter through her long hair. She'd missed the unmistakable salty scent of Seaspray.

The sun hung low in the sky as she drove near the beach on the route back to the 101 freeway. She'd spent so much time at Henderson Beach. Memories poured in. Like the time Craig had tried to teach her to surf. A smile broke out. He'd been so patient during the thirty-seven times she'd fallen off his surfboard. She never did get the hang of it, but they'd ended the day watching the sun as it dipped below the horizon and talking about life--something they did frequently. She hoped he'd be at the reunion so they could catch up.

She couldn't wait to see Kari and have some much-needed girl time with her best friend. Even if she was anxious about the reunion, this weekend would be a nice break. Brynn loved her job as project manager, but she needed some down time. Work kept her so busy she hardly had a social life.

Who was she kidding?

She had zero social life.

#

Craig Dawson turned his black Lexus onto Oleander Street, looking forward to a quiet night. He neared his condo and let out a long breath. The silver Acura was parked in front.

_Not what I need_. He turned off the ignition and hesitated before opening the car door.

Mandy, his so-called girlfriend, dressed in skinny jeans and a black shirt that clung to her recent enhancement surgery, stood on the walkway.

"Hi," he said as upbeat as possible.

"We need to talk."

What she meant was, she needed to talk while Craig said nothing. That was how Mandy communicated. "Ok." It didn't do any good to argue with her.

"You aren't putting anything into this relationship."

"Can we at least go inside?" He didn't want a scene out on the street.

"No." She shook her head in defiance. "I want to talk right now. Right here."

"Come on." He reached his hand out for hers. "We can talk inside. Maybe order some dinner." _Anything to entice her inside and away from the eyes and ears of my prying neighbors._

"Craig, you aren't listening to me." She stomped her foot as if she were a small child.

_Ironic. That's all I ever seem to do lately is listen to you talk at me._ "I'd rather go inside to talk about this."

"I'm done talking."

"Really?" He could only hope she meant it, but he knew better than that.

She jerked her head back. "What kind of thing is that to say?"

"Never mind."

"I came over here to tell you we're done. That's it." She held her hands up. "And I mean it this time."

"Ok." He should insist they keep trying. He should insist they talk and try to work it out, but he couldn't muster enough energy or desire to do that.

"Is that all you have to say? _Ok?_ You don't want to fight for this?"

"Honestly?"

Mandy looked at him with the same big brown eyes that used to grab him, but no longer had much of an effect.

"I think we both know it's been over for a while." There, he'd finally said the words out loud.

"What is wrong with you?" she demanded. "You were never in this relationship all the way."

She was right. He hadn't been. In fact, he'd never been fully in any of his relationships. Something seemed to always hold him back, but he couldn't quite nail it down. Relationships were too complicated. And dating Mandy had been more than exhausting.

"Craig? Craig? Are you there?" Mandy waved her hand in front of his face.

"Yeah?"

"See, that's a perfect example. We're having a discussion about our relationship and you've tuned me out. You're..." Mandy went on to list Craig's shortcomings, but his mind was somewhere else.

"Craig?"

"I'm listening," he said on cue.

"No, you're not." She pointed at him. "I'm going to get in my car and I'm not coming back."

He _should_ tell her to stay, but it wasn't in him. Mandy was beautiful and talented and smart, but there was no magic between them, and he was done trying to pretend there was. Mandy peered at him expectantly, but he said nothing. She huffed out a couple of dramatic breaths and marched around the car. She slammed her door shut, and he watched her pull away from the curb and drive down the street.

Walking into his place, Craig collapsed on the leather sofa. He should be sad that his girlfriend for the last four months had walked out on him, but all he felt was relief--glorious relief. He took off his shoes and rested his feet on the coffee table. Why wasn't his heart in the relationship with Mandy? Or any relationship he'd had? Maybe he simply hadn't met the right woman.

His cell phone rang. "Hi, Mom."

"Are you still coming?" His mom was never one for idle chit-chat.

"Yeah. I'll be there in the morning."

"You haven't been here in so long." He could hear the disappointment in her voice.

"I know. I'm sorry. I've had a lot of big cases lately." It was the truth. He'd been insanely busy with work, which was probably another reason why his relationship with Mandy hadn't gone anywhere.

"Have you decided if you're going to the reunion?"

_My high school reunion_. The idea of attending brought mixed feelings. "Not yet."

"I saw Jake Piper's mom the other day. She asked about you and said Jake will be there. You two were good friends."

"Yeah, we were. I haven't seen him since graduation." He hadn't really seen anyone since then, at least not anyone that really mattered to him.

"It'd be fun to see some of your classmates again. As long as you leave enough time for us."

"I will, Mom." He smiled. "I'll see you soon."

He ended the call with his mom and tossed the phone on the couch. It'd be good to see Jake and some of the other guys, but there was one person he really wanted to see. One person he still thought about. Wondered about.

Brynn Sawyer. 

#

After a twenty minute drive along familiar streets, Brynn found the Olive Mill Inn across from Stearns Wharf.

Inside the elegant hotel with its white pillars and crystal chandeliers, she glanced around. Did she hope to see some classmates? Not yet--not until she had her bearings.

Would anyone even remember her? She'd been in some plays, but was basically invisible all through school. Maybe that was another reason she'd come--to prove that she'd done something with her life. She'd graduated, with honors, from UCLA and had been hired right out of college to work for ConocoPhillips. She owned a condo and drove a red BMW 328i. Her braces were gone, as was her acne and her too-long, unruly hair. She wore tailored suits, paid her stylist well to make her hair smooth and silky, and she was every bit a professional--at least in Houston.

So why did she feel like that gawky teenager, and why was this reunion dredging up all of her insecurities?

Maybe if she sent out an SOS someone could help her find her self-confidence again.

"May I help you?" a young Asian man behind the marble counter asked.

"I'd like to check in. My name is Brynn Sawyer."

He typed into his computer. "Ah, yes. Here we are. You are in room 211, facing the pool." He handed her the keycard.

"Thank you. Can you tell me if Kari Lawrence has checked in? We're sharing this room."

He glanced down and tapped his keyboard. "Not yet."

"Okay. Thanks."

Brynn made her way to her room. She opened the door then flopped on the queen-sized bed. Why had she listened to Kari? Maybe she could change her plane ticket and slip out tomorrow morning before the festivities and go home to Houston, where she belonged.

After a few minutes, she removed her shoes and flipped on the TV, trying to find a movie to relax her, because she wasn't going to leave this room--not without Kari as her reinforcement.

She propped her head on a pillow, and a few minutes into some movie about Vegas, she drifted off to sleep and began dreaming of Ryan Reynolds. Suddenly, the door slammed shut, jolting her awake. She jumped to her feet and took a defensive stance.

"Whoa, sorry!" Kari stood there with her oversized neon pink purse in hand.

"Kari? What are you doing here?"

"We're sharing this hotel room, remember?"

The fog in Brynn's brain began to lift. She wasn't in Texas. She was in a hotel. Back in Seaspray. It was the reunion weekend. "Oh, yeah. I guess I fell asleep and... Kari!" She threw her arms around Kari's neck. "I'm so happy to see you."

They both jumped up and down, squealing and hugging each other.

"It's been way too long."

"I know." Brynn looked at Kari. "You look fabulous."

Kari twirled around. "You think?"

"Yes. You are so tiny. And I love the blond highlights. Very chic."

"Thanks. I've been working out five times a week for the last couple of years. I decided I wanted to lose all that extra weight I gained when I went to college. Too many pizza nights."

"You look amazing."

"So do you." Kari reached out and touched Brynn's hair." It's so sleek and so--"

"Not crazy." Brynn laughed.

"And the deep brown makes your blue eyes pop."

"Thanks. I guess we've both come a long way since high school days." Brynn wanted to believe her own words.

"I should hope so. Who wants to be stuck in high school forever?" Kari placed her suitcase atop the white down duvet on the other bed and removed her platform wedges.

"Maybe we could skip the reunion and just hang out?" Brynn hated that all of her self-doubt from high school was bubbling to the surface. She thought she'd conquered all of that.

Kari's phone rang. "Hey...yeah, got here safely..." She walked out onto the balcony for a few minutes then came back inside. "I'll call you tomorrow ." She ended the call.

"And that was?"

Kari smiled the same big smile she had the first time Brynn met her in sixth grade. "My new boyfriend, Connor."

"Details, details." Since her love life was non-existent, Brynn wanted to live vicariously through Kari's.

"I met him at a friend's house about two months ago. He's pretty amazing. Tall, curly hair. A deep dimple on his left cheek. Magnetic brown eyes. Best sense of humor. Kind and gentle. Respectful. And he has a great job."

"You look smitten."

"Smitten? Me?" Kari chuckled.

"How did you tear yourself away to come here?" Brynn said.

"It was hard, but I wanted to spend the weekend with you. We have lots of catching up to do."

"Yes, we do." Brynn couldn't wait to hear all about Kari's life.

"Good thing I brought some nourishment." Kari reached into her huge purse and pulled out a mega-sized bag of peanut M&Ms.

Brynn dug in and popped a few M&Ms into her mouth. The chocolaty peanut taste danced on her tongue. "It's been way too long."

Kari jumped onto Brynn's bed and criss-crossed her legs. She threw an M&M into the air and attempted to catch it in her mouth. The yellow candy came down and hit her on the chin. They both started laughing. "I bet you-know-who will be here," Kari said with an arched eyebrow.

"Who?"

"Don't play dumb with me." Kari pushed her on the shoulder.

Brynn bit her lip. "Do you really think so?"

"I heard he still lives here. Works with his dad in their financial planning business." She smiled. "And I'm pretty sure he's still single."

"How did you hear that?" Kari always seemed to know all of the gossip.

"Facebook. You really need to get a Facebook account."

"I know. I'm probably the only person on earth that isn't on all the social media."

Kari crunched a few M&Ms. "So what will you do when you see Troy?"

"Probably act like an idiot, you know, like I used to."

"Remember that one time when you were looking at him while we were walking down the hall?" Kari started laughing. "And you tripped over that trash can, stepped on your skirt, and pulled it--"

"Yeah, yeah." Brynn interrupted her. "Hard to forget, since half the school saw it. Thanks for bringing it up." Brynn's face warmed at the humiliating memory.

"And you were wearing red lace underwear--"

"Can we just drop it? Please?" She'd never worn that underwear again--too embarrassing.

"Try not to do anything like that at the reunion." More laughter.

"Thanks for the tip." Brynn hit her with a pillow.

"But for reals, what will you do?"

"He probably won't even acknowledge me."

"You should go up and--"

"No way. I'm not going to do anything when it comes to Troy. I haven't even thought about him in years," she lied.

"Oh, I wonder if Juliana will be there." Kari said it in a sing-songy voice.

Brynn shrugged. Juliana was the one person she hoped wouldn't be there.

They continued to talk about old classmates late into the night. When snoring sounds came from Kari's side of the room, Brynn got up and went to the window. Lights lit up the palm trees and other vegetation surrounding the pool. The clear night sky sported twinkling stars. Thoughts of Troy circled Brynn's mind. She'd been captivated by him all through school. She remembered how desperately she wanted to go to prom with him, even fantasized how he'd come to her house with a dozen roses and ask her to the dance. Over and over again she'd wished it would come true, but it didn't. Craig had asked her to go, but he wasn't a real date. He was Craig. They ended up going, and having a lot of fun, but that didn't stop her from yearning to be in Troy's arms that night.

What if Kari was right, and Troy was at the reunion? Would he remember her? Would he even talk to her? And if he did, would she transform into her high school self, unable to form a complete sentence?

She rubbed her eyes. It was nearly four o'clock in the morning. Time for bed. Maybe tomorrow would bring a chance to make her fantasy about Troy a reality.

_Yeah, and maybe Ryan Reynolds will show up in his Green Lantern suit and whisk me away._

#

Craig was up and at the gym before sunrise. He wanted to get in a workout before he drove the almost three hours to Seaspray. As he lifted weights, his thoughts shifted back to high school. And to Brynn. He'd looked for her on Facebook over the years, but hadn't found her. He reasoned that he simply wanted to know what had happened to her, but a small part of him knew it was more than that. Did she have a boyfriend? Was she married? Did she have any kids?

He finished his workout, drove back to his place, showered, and packed an overnight bag to spend the weekend at his childhood home. Before leaving, he rummaged through a box in his garage, searching for his senior yearbook. He found it and began leafing through the pages.

On the inside back cover, he found what he was looking for--an inscription from Brynn.

_Craig,_

_What can I say? I've known you forever. You are THE best. Thanks for being there for me and listening to me all the time this year. We've had so much fun in theater. I still wish you'd been Danny. That would've been awesome. But I'm glad we got to hang out so much and get so close. I know we'll always be best friends. I can't wait to see you all summer and finally learn how to surf. Haha. Thanks again for being such an important part of my life. Our senior year has been so good!_

_Love Always,_

_Brynn_

He shut the book. _Best friends_. That's what they'd been, and he missed that. It would be worth it to go to the reunion if it meant he might see her.

#

Brynn awoke to the sun streaming into the room. Was she ready to face her reunion tonight? To see Troy? Every thought of Troy lit her nerves on fire, and the anticipation gnawed at her stomach.

Kari stirred. "What time is it?" she asked in a hoarse, morning voice as she kicked off her covers.

"Almost ten-thirty."

"Wow, I haven't slept this late in a long time." Kari sat up, her hair a tangled blond mass on her head. She stretched out her arms and made a loud yawning sound.

"I haven't had a slumber party in a long time." Brynn laughed. "And you still snore."

"No way."

"Yeah, you do. I finally got to sleep despite that chainsaw noise." Brynn imitated the sound.

"Very funny." She rolled her eyes at Brynn. "We shouldn't wait this long to get together again."

"No, we shouldn't."

Kari pulled her legs in front of her, the white duvet pushed to the side of the bed in a heap. "So are we ready for the reunion weekend?"

Brynn shrugged. Was anyone _ever_ ready for a high school reunion?

"Oh, come on. It's going to be fun."

"I don't know why I let you convince me to do this." Brynn stood. "We could've met somewhere else and had a girls' weekend. That would've been way more fun." Actually, meeting anywhere else would've been more fun.

"Why are you so down on the reunion?"

"You remember high school. It was pretty lame." Brynn walked over to the window and watched some unfamiliar people socialize by the pool.

"Yeah, some of it was lame. But it wasn't all that way. Remember how much fun we had in theater? And remember when you played Sandy? You were totes fabs."

The memories provoked a smile. "I was so shocked I got that part. I thought DeAnne was going to be Sandy for sure."

"Remember how mad she was?"

Brynn nodded. "She didn't talk to me for the rest of the year."

"You can see if she's still mad at you after all these years."

"Do you think she'll be at the reunion? I hadn't thought about that." Surely DeAnne wouldn't be carrying a grudge over a part in a school play. Would she?

"Maybe." Kari paused. "And remember when we were in the chorus for _Guys and Dolls_ and Mary forgot to turn off her mic when she was backstage, and the whole audience heard her and Carson kiss?"

"Yeah." Brynn laughed. "I was so embarrassed for her. It'd be fun to see her again."

"What about that time we played a prank on Jason Cooper and put his obituary in the newspaper?"

She'd forgotten about that. "Oh, yeah. He was so mad. His face was all red and he yelled at everyone, accusing them of doing it that day at school. I'm glad he never found out it was us."

"I wonder if he'll be there." Kari walked over to the window and gazed out.

Kari had a point. High school hadn't been all bad. Brynn needed to stop letting her unrequited attraction to Troy color her memories. They did have some fun. Actually, they had a lot of fun.

"Oh, what about Bruce the Babe? I wonder if he'll be there," Kari said.

Bruce was like a Greek god. He was perfect in every way with his perpetually bronzed-skin and green eyes. "It'd be worth it to go to the reunion just to see his flawless face again. And will Brittney be hangin' all over him still?"

"It _has_ been ten years." Kari ran her fingers through her knotted hair. "Don't you think everyone has changed?"

Brynn shrugged. "I would hope so.".

"See, it'll be fun. If nothing else, we can sit back and watch everyone and gossip about them. You know, whose six-pack has turned into a beer belly. And which girls have already had work done."

Brynn opened her suitcase and picked through it. "We should get ready and go to the wharf. I haven't been there for years."

Kari's eyes lit up. "We can eat at Moby's."

"Like we used to back in the day. I want to order their clam chowder. No one makes clam chowder like Moby's." She could almost taste the warm, thick, salty soup.

"Maybe we should wear outfits and style our hair like we used to," Kari said.

Brynn gave her a look. "Ew. No thanks."

Kari laughed then flung her arms around Brynn. "I'm so glad we're together. This weekend will be the best ever."

***

After a steamy shower, Brynn got dressed, applied her make-up, and had her hair straightened before Kari was even out of the bathroom. Kari still took eons to get ready. That hadn't changed.

"I'm starving. Let's go to the restaurant first," Kari said when she finally finished her hair and make-up.

"Do you think we'll get a discount?" Brynn reclined on the bed.

"Huh?"

"You know, for being senior citizens?"

Kari rolled her eyes. "You're hilarious, my friend."

"I thought you took a long time back in high school. I think I've lost at least twenty years waiting for you today."

"What can I say? It takes me a while to attain perfection. Unlike you who hoarded all the natural beauty. You're lucky you don't need much make-up to look good." Kari added some lip gloss then gave Brynn a pucker.

Brynn rose from the bed and grabbed her sunglasses. "Can we go now?"

They crossed Cabrillo Boulevard, still lined with tall palm trees reaching toward the heavens, and made their way toward the wharf. The temperature was in the mid-seventies and only a few wisps of clouds were scattered across the pale blue sky. Brynn didn't spend a lot of time outdoors in hot and humid Houston. Even though her condo complex had a pool, she rarely used it, because she was too busy with her job. While she was in her hometown for the weekend, she wanted to soak it all up and breathe in every detail.

A skinny waiter with large hands, who looked like he was about fifteen, seated them near a bay window. Looking out over the Pacific, Brynn suddenly missed Seaspray more than she had in a long time. It was here that she felt connected to her dad. Memories of a time when she was a carefree child and teenager, before her father died in the car accident, and she had to face the rest of her life without him, played across her mind.

"Brynn? Are you okay?" Kari snapped her fingers.

"Oh, yeah. Just thinking about my dad." A dull ache still resided in her heart.

Kari reached across the table and laid her hand across Brynn's. "I'm sorry."

"Being here brings back so many memories."

"How is your mom doing?"

"She seems to like Oregon. She's, um, you know." Brynn played with the salt shaker.

Kari crinkled her brows. "What?"

Brynn adjusted her position in the chair, noticing that the seat was hard and uncomfortable.

"What about your mom?"

Brynn blew out a breath. She didn't want to say it out loud, but keeping it in wouldn't change anything. "She's engaged to some guy named Scott."

"Oh. I thought you were going to say she had a disease or something terrible." Kari's shoulders relaxed. "Getting married, huh? That's awesome." She peered at Brynn. "Isn't it?"

"I don't know. I mean, I know my dad has been gone for a long time."

"Hasn't your mom dated?"

"Yeah. Here and there." Brynn tugged at her hair. "But actually getting married is something else. Marriage is a big deal. It means something."

"Did you want her to stay single for the rest of her life?"

"Yes... No... I don't know." She sounded so juvenile. And selfish.

"Have you met him?"

"No." Brynn had no desire to meet this man.

"Why?"

"Because I'm afraid." There she'd admitted it.

"That you'll hate him?"

"Or worse." She glanced at Kari. "What if I like him?"

"Would that be so bad?"

"I'd feel like I was betraying my dad. I can't do that." No one could ever take his place, and the very idea of her mom being married to someone else made Brynn's stomach ache.

Kari leaned in. "Your dad would want your mom to be happy, wouldn't he?"

"Of course." She paused. "But it feels weird. I don't know." It was hard to describe her feelings. Brynn wanted her mom to be happy, but she didn't want her mom to forget her dad.

"How long has she been engaged?" Kari sipped her water.

"A couple of months. She keeps asking me to come up there, but I haven't. I just can't."

"Maybe you'll feel differently when more time has passed."

"Maybe."

The waiter brought them their meals. They continued to visit over their clam chowder and fish and chips.

After lunch, they took a stroll along the wharf. The sun warmed Brynn's cheeks, and the soft sea breeze played with wisps of her hair.

They walked into a small gift shop at the end of the pier. "It's kind of weird to feel like a tourist in my own hometown," Brynn said, handling a necklace made from an abalone shell.

"Yeah. We lived here all our lives, until graduation." Kari rummaged through a display of colorful t-shirts.

Brynn handled some beaded bracelets. "Do you like living in Denver?"

"Yeah. I love that I can get to the mountains. And I love skiing with that crisp, cold air in my face as I race down the slopes. Who knew I'd love snow so much? "

"Do you ever think about moving back here?"

Kari held up a pair of silver earrings to her ear and peered in the mirror. "Nope. I left my life in Seaspray behind me when I graduated from college."

"I totally thought you'd end up marrying Brad."

Kari tried on a pair of sunglasses with rhinestones across the top. "I think everyone did, including me. When that all fell apart, and he ran off to Vegas with Carly, then my parents split up, I was done with Seaspray. I wanted to start over somewhere else." She put on a different pair of glasses with neon pink frames. "And I did. I love my life in Denver. It's totally different than here."

"And Connor?"

Kari smiled while raising her eyebrows. "I guess we'll see what happens."

Brynn picked up a couple of t-shirts and bought them. She handed one to Kari. "To remember our weekend and to remind us of Seaspray."

"Thanks." Kari clutched the lavender shirt to her chest then gave Brynn a hug. "Still BFFs."

"Always." It felt so good to be back with Kari. Brynn had missed her more than she realized.

After going into a few more shops, they headed back to the hotel.

#

Craig adjusted the radio station in his Lexus as he traveled the 101 freeway near Seaspray. He hadn't been home in several months. His parents, mostly his mom, kept asking him to come visit, but he was busy at work and one month quickly dissolved into the next.

He could hardly believe ten years had gone by since high school. Life since graduation had been a whirlwind.

_Cry Me a River_ began playing on the radio and immediately his thoughts went to Brynn. He never knew why she'd liked Justin Timberlake, but she did. In fact, she'd loved Timberlake. Brynn used to get so excited when one of his songs played. Craig had made fun of her, but she didn't care. She'd sing along to the songs as loud as she could. Craig smiled at the memories.

If he'd had his way, they would've dated, but Brynn had always been so infatuated with Troy what's-his-name. She only had eyes for Troy.

_Troy_. That name still annoyed him. Time and time again, just when he'd thought Brynn was through idolizing Troy, something would happen to give her hope there was a chance. Why Troy didn't want to date Brynn completely escaped Craig. She was beautiful and kind and sweet. She had the most contagious laugh, especially when it turned into giggles and her cheeks went rosy. Brynn was amazing. Amazing. And not at all interested in him.

Things might be different now that ten years had passed. Brynn might see him as more than her best buddy. _If_ she was even there. He'd lost touch with most of his classmates and only happened to find out about the reunion from his mom, who'd heard about it on the radio.

He rolled down the window and rested his arm on the door. _Nothing better than a clear California sky on a summer day._ He inhaled the salty air. Even though he only lived fifteen miles or so from the coast, the air didn't smell the same in San Diego as it did at home. There was something about Seaspray that couldn't be replicated anywhere else.

He'd spend some time with his parents then make his way over to The Meet and Mingle.

#

"I'm not sure which outfit to wear," Brynn said, holding one in each hand.

"Try them both on." Kari snacked on some chocolate.

"And you'll tell me which one looks the best?" If Troy happened to be there, _and_ if he happened to remember her, or at least noticed her, she wanted to look awesome. Better than awesome. She wanted to look perfect.

"Absolutely." Kari leaned back on her elbows on the bed.

Brynn tried on white capris and a fitted turquoise shirt. "What do you think?"

"The shirt hugs you in all the right places and the color sets off your eyes." Kari motioned for her to whirl around. "And your backside is looking pretty great, too. Dang, girl."

Brynn's face warmed. "Thanks. I'll go try on the other one."

After a few minutes, Brynn came out in khaki shorts and a striped shirt.

"I like the first one. This one is too neutral." Kari waved her hand. "Bo-ring."

"Really?"

"Yeah, wear the first one." Kari crossed her ankles. "Make ol' Troy regret he never asked you out."

Brynn gave Kari a look. "I don't care if Troy is there. Ancient history."

Kari countered with a disbelieving expression.

Brynn walked back into the bathroom to change into her previous outfit. She slipped into the turquoise shirt and gazed at herself in the mirror. It made her feel feminine. Confident. Like she could approach anyone, even Troy. Logically, it was absurd that she even thought about him after all these years. High school was forever ago, and she'd gone on with her life. Went to college. Graduated. Gotten a great job. Dated. She'd even had a boyfriend, Steven, for a few months last year. Or was that the year before?

Troy probably didn't even remember her. _That_ was reality. Still, the dreamer in her wanted to hold on to the slim possibility that maybe, just maybe, Troy would remember her, and even better, want to spend some time with her. It _could_ happen.

"You gonna come out of there any time soon? I need to get ready too," Kari said through the bathroom door.

#

Craig shovelled the last bite of creamy mashed potatoes into his mouth. After swallowing, he said, "Mom, I sure miss your cooking. This dinner is delicious."

Obviously pleased with the compliment, his mom smiled. "Why, thank you. I wish you'd come more often to enjoy it." She smoothed her dark hair.

"I know. I'd love to, but my case load has been pretty heavy." He sipped his tart water. His mom liked to make everything special at dinner, even adding sliced lemons to the water.

"How is everything with Mandy? Is that her name?"

Craig tried not to choke on the water. "Oh. Mandy."

His mom studied him with her probing blue eyes. "What does that mean? You didn't break it off with her did you?"

Craig didn't say anything.

"Well? I thought you liked her." She brushed some crumbs from the white linen tablecloth.

Craig's ears heated. He took another swig of water, the cold liquid coating his dry throat. He hated discussing his love life with his parents, especially his mom. She had him married off every time he took a girl on a date.

"Did you break up?" She tapped her fingers on the table.

"Lynette, don't grill him," his father interjected. "I'm sure if he wants to share that information with us he will." He adjusted his square-rimmed glasses.

"I thought you really liked this girl."

Realizing he was beaten, he blew out a breath. "Yes, we broke up." He prepared himself for the onslaught of questions.

"Why?"

"Lynette." His dad touched her on the arm. "Let's go in the other room and relax."

"It's okay, Dad." Craig glanced at his mom. "Mandy and I weren't very compatible. We wanted different things."

"Like what?" His mom sat back against her chair. Craig didn't like to keep disappointing her, but he couldn't run off and marry a woman just to please her.

"For starters, she wasn't interested in having kids. I am." He paused. "Someday."

"Oh."

"And she liked to talk _at_ me a lot. She didn't listen very well or care much what I thought about things."

"Are you going to date any other girls?"

Craig shrugged. "I don't know. I'm so busy at work right now. I really don't have time for a relationship."

"I only wish..."

"I know, Mom. Believe me, when I find the girl I want to marry, I'll tell you right away. Deal?" He hoped to appease her.

She nodded. "What time is your reunion?"

"The Mix and Mingle is at eight."

"Do you have time for dessert?" She stood.

Craig rubbed his stomach. "I'm stuffed." He could always count on a delectable and filling meal when he came home to visit.

"Not even a piece of peach cobbler?"

"Peach cobbler?"

His mom gave him a sly smile. "It's your favorite."

He could never resist a piece of his mom's cobbler. "One piece. A small one."

After dessert, Craig had to roll himself out of the house and into his car. Good thing he'd worked out hard at the gym before he left San Diego to burn off all the extra calories he'd consumed at dinner.

He drove several miles and parked outside The Seaspray Bar and Grill. He sat inside his car for a few minutes, watching classmates file into the restaurant, trying to remember names--not his strong suit. He grabbed a mint and popped it into his mouth then took a few breaths trying to coax his heartbeat to slow down a bit. _She might not even be here._

Without thinking any more about it, he opened his car door and made his way over to the restaurant. 

#

Brynn sat in the overstuffed chair by the window in their hotel room. She glanced at the time on her phone. Eight o'clock. The Meet and Mingle had officially begun. "Kari, are you ready?" she called out.

"Yeah."

Ten minutes later, Kari emerged from the bathroom and they headed down to the lobby.

They drove over in Kari's red Toyota Camry. The closer they got, the harder Brynn's heart hammered in her ears

_This is ridiculous. Take a breath and calm down._

The parking lot was packed, so they drove down a side street and left the car there. They walked over to the door, Brynn's face feeling flushed. She immediately recognized the red-headed, petite woman. Susan Porter looked basically the same as the day they graduated. "Welcome to The Meet and Mingle. So glad you're here. Please fill out a name tag."

Both Kari and Brynn filled out their tags.

Inside the large room decorated with an ocean theme, many sort-of-familiar people milled about, talking and hugging each other. Tables and chairs lined the perimeter, and a bar was on the opposite side. The DJ played a Christina Aguilera song and, for a moment, it took Brynn back.

"Do you want to get a drink?" Kari asked, interrupting Brynn's time travel.

"No, thanks."

"Brynn and Kari," came a squeal. Brynn turned to see DeAnne Cross rushing toward them.

They did a group hug.

"Wow, DeAnne, you cut off all your curly hair," Kari said.

"Yeah, donated it to Locks of Love, in memory of my niece."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Brynn said, happy that DeAnne didn't seem to hold any hard feelings about the part of Sandy. Hopefully, the past was the past and what happened in high school was dead and buried.

DeAnne nodded. "How have the two of you been?"

They chit-chatted for several minutes when Brynn felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned. "Craig?" His shoulders were broader, his face had filled out, and his hair was a darker blond and cropped short, but he still had that genuine smile she remembered.

He wrapped his arms around her and said in her ear, "I'm so glad to see you."

"Me too." She smiled "We need to catch up."

He stepped back. "You kinda disappeared after high school."

"Yeah. I know. I got busy with college, and then I started working for a company in Houston."

"You live in Texas?"

"I do."

He smirked. "Let me hear it."

"What?"

"Come on, give me your best 'y'all.'" He said it with such a twang it made her laugh.

"You know, I can't seem to kick my California dialect." She laughed again. "You can take the girl out of Seaspray, but you can't take Seapsray out of the girl."

"You look great." Craig smiled at her, crinkles forming around his deep-set eyes.

"Thanks. So do you." He wasn't that skinny kid from high school at all. "What have you been up to?" Craig had definitely filled out in all the right places. _Stop checking him out. This is Craig._

"After we graduated, I went to Stanford."

"I remember you were going there."

"I finished law school, and now I'm practicing in San Diego."

"Wow. I'm so proud of you. I knew your arguing would do you some good eventually." She slapped him on the shoulder. "Remember all of our silly disagreements backstage?"

"We had some pretty good ones." He raised his eyebrows. "I believe I was right most of the time. No, make that _all_ of the time."

They both laughed

Brynn noticed how his pale blue eyes still sparkled when he laughed. "So are you married?"

"No." He shook his head. "What about you?"

"Pretty much married to my career." She sounded pathetic. Worse than pathetic.

"What do you do?"

"I'm a project manager. Boring stuff, really."

He touched her on the arm, bringing back warm memories of the bond they'd once shared. "Nothing about you was ever boring."

"Aw, you're sweet."

"You know, I've looked for you on Facebook."

"I'm not a big social media person. I know, I know, everyone is on Twitter and Instagram, but I spend a lot of time working on a computer, and the last thing I want to do is spend my free time on my phone or laptop. I'd rather read a good book."

"Ah, still a reader, huh?" He nodded.

A blond woman approached them. "Craig Dawson?"

"Yes?" Craig didn't act like he knew her.

"I'm Lisa Thomas."

"Lisa? I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you." The shock was evident in his voice.

Of course he didn't. Lisa only faintly resembled her high school self. She'd had a nose job, her hair wasn't mousy brown anymore, and she obviously worked out regularly. By the looks of her tan, she lived at the beach. "Hi, I'm Brynn Sawyer."

"We had English together," Lisa said.

"Yes," Brynn said, still stunned at the transformation.

Lisa looked at Craig. "I'd love to catch up with you." She linked her arm through his.

"Oh, it's fine. We can talk later, Craig. No worries." Brynn smiled at him, but a tinge of irritation shot through her.

Lisa tugged him away.

Brynn scanned the room almost afraid that she'd see Troy. But also afraid she wouldn't. A part of her desperately wanted to see him, but the other part was petrified of rejection. Again.

"Looking for someone?" Kari said with a giggle as she walked up to Brynn.

"Did you see Lisa Thomas? Remember her in English? We used to feel sorry for her because she was so shy and unattractive. Well, not anymore. She's beautiful, and she came right over and took Craig away while we were in the middle of a conversation."

"I always thought Craig was so cute with his wavy blond hair and sweet smile. He looks really good now. Like a man." She arched an eyebrow. "With big muscles. Maybe you should--"

"No. Not Craig." Didn't Kari remember that they were all best friends? Besides, Craig wasn't ever interested in her.

Kari blinked. "Why not?'

"Because. He's Craig. I've known him forever. It's not like that."

"If you say so." Kari gave a tilt of her head.

"How is everyone tonight?" the DJ asked with his baritone voice. When only a few people mumbled replies, he repeated, in a louder voice, "I said, how is everyone tonight?"

The crowd shouted, "Good."

"That's better." He nodded, his long, dark bangs falling to one side. "Welcome back Class of 2004. Are you ready to get your party on?"

More hollering from the group of classmates.

"Let's get back to some millennial music. If you have any requests, come on up. My name is Jordy." He flashed a bright smile.

"He's cute," Kari said. "Should I get his number for you?"

"Funny." The last thing Brynn needed was the number of some slick DJ.

Kari jumped.

"What is it?"

"My phone. It's on vibrate, and it scares me every time it goes off." She pulled her phone from her pocket. "It's Connor." Kari took a few steps away from Brynn.

Brynn grabbed Kari's arm. "You can't abandon me." The idea of Kari leaving for the night to talk to Connor sent panic waves through Brynn.

"I'll be right back."

"Kari." Brynn gave her a pleading look.

"I promise."

Brynn stood stiff against the wall watching several classmates hugging then talking. Some of the people she didn't recognize at all, and she hoped they were significant others or spouses of her classmates and it wasn't that she'd forgotten half her class. Of course, even though it had only been ten years, a number of her classmates had changed dramatically.

"Brynn?"

She turned. "Allison?"

They embraced.

"Wow, you look amazing," Brynn said, taking in Allison's form-fitting black pants and short, sassy hairstyle.

"After high school, I wore braces for a few years, lost those forty extra pounds, and became a redhead."

"Again, wow!" Brynn said. Allison was stunning.

"Thanks. You look beautiful tonight. I love your hair."

"Thank you. What have you been up to?"

"Traveling. I'm a reporter." She handed Brynn her business card.

"That sounds so exciting."

A smile splayed across Allison's face. "It is."

Suddenly, Brynn caught a glance of _him_ walking through the door and every muscle tensed. There he was. _Troy Richards_. He still looked lean and athletic, and his face was even more handsome than she remembered. Her heart skittered, and she completely lost her train of thought.

"Brynn?"

Brynn blinked a few times. "Oh, Allison. Go ahead. I'm sorry."

"I finished a..." Allison kept talking, but Brynn didn't hear her words. She was too focused on Troy and his every movement. He looked even better than he did ten years ago. What would she say to him if he talked to her? Should she talk to him first? Here was her major high school crush just across the room. A man she'd not only thought about all through high school, but he'd occupied many of her thoughts since then. Was he married? Did he have a girlfriend?

"What about you?" Allison said, yanking Brynn from her thoughts about Troy.

"Me?" She wasn't sure what Allison had said. "I, uh, well, I," she stammered.

Allison waved at someone across the room then said, "It's been great talking to you. I'll see you later." With that, she was gone.

Brynn searched for Kari and found her in the other direction, so she made her way over, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other and not tripping or doing something completely embarrassing.

"You remember Becca and Lindsay, right?" Kari said when Brynn reached her.

"Of course. How are you?" She gave each one a hug, but her arms felt like overcooked noodles.

They chatted for a few minutes while Brynn tried to subtly scan the room for Troy. She didn't see him anywhere. Maybe she'd only imagined him being there.

"Who are you looking for?" Kari asked as she elbowed Brynn.

"No one." Heat creeped up her neck. Why was she acting, and feeling, like an adolescent? She reminded herself to act her age. After all, she was a successful adult, not the silly, immature girl she once was.

"Is he here?" Kari asked with wide eyes.

Brynn pulled Kari closer to her, abandoning her resolve to play it cool and mature "I saw him come in a few minutes ago. He looks amazing." Her hands trembled in unison with her heartbeat.

Kari started obviously gazing around the room.

"Stop." Brynn didn't want Troy to notice Kari looking for him. Of course, how would he know Kari was looking for him? Never mind. He'd know. He knew stuff like that. He wasn't a regular human. He was a god. Or at least a demi-god. Nope. Definitely a god among mortals. _What is wrong with me? I'm acting like a love-sick teenager all over again. This isn't high school. I'm an adult. Get a grip._

"Don't you want to know where he is?" Kari broke into her thoughts.

"Not really," she lied.

"Uh, huh."

Brynn turned her head and spotted Troy, her anxiety cresting in her stomach. "I need to go to the bathroom."

"You know this place isn't that big, and you can't hide in the bathroom. You're going to run into him."

Kari had a point. Brynn was being completely irrational. She was a grown woman with a respectable career and stable life. Besides, she _wanted_ to run into him. "You're right. I'm glad you're here to keep me sane."

"Are you hungry?"

"Not really. I'm still full from lunch." Her sizzling nerves wouldn't allow her to eat a bite anyway.

"Your class president, Susan Porter, would like to say a few words," the DJ said over the loudspeaker.

"Hi, everyone. I hope you're having fun meeting and mingling tonight." She gave a big, toothy smile, just like she used to in high school. "I wanted to remind you of the barbecue tomorrow at noon at Sheffield Park. Then we'll have our formal dinner and dance at the Olive Mill Hotel starting at seven o'clock. It's going to be a fantastic day tomorrow, and I hope all of you are planning to attend. I'd like to thank Stacy Gunderson and Olivia Jones for all of their help putting this reunion together." She handed the microphone back to Jordy and started clapping. Everyone joined in.

Brynn turned and saw Troy. Her heart clamped tight. He was talking to Juliana Martin, the cheerleader he used to date. Troy was the big basketball star and a local celebrity. Back in the day, it made sense he'd date Juliana, since their clique was inseparable, but it still bothered her to see him with her, even after all of these years. It was as if Brynn were transported right back to high school watching the same events unfold all over again.

"I'm back. Did you miss me?" Craig said in her ear.

She whirled around. "Of course."

"I've pretty much seen everyone I want to see here." He took a swig of his drink.

"You aren't leaving are you?" Somehow, having Craig there seemed to make her feel better. He'd been such a good friend all through school, especially when she cried on his shoulder about Troy. She promised herself that she'd get on social media when she got home so she could keep in touch with Craig.

He shrugged, but there was a glint in his baby blue eyes. "I was maybe thinking of going to McKay's Ice Cream Shoppe."

"Are you tempting me? You know McKay's is my favorite place."

He smiled. "Is it working?"

She glanced around. "Maybe." Did she want to leave? She came specifically to see Troy and talk to him, but the angst was overwhelming. Going with Craig felt natural, safe, secure. She could regain her confidence and come back to the reunion activities tomorrow and be ready to talk to Troy then. That seemed like the best idea. "Yeah, it's working."

"Let's get out of here." He inclined his head toward the door.

"But what about Kari? I came with her."

"Invite her along. Like old times." He smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

Brynn found Kari talking to a guy with short brown hair, who was wearing khaki pants and a blue-striped dress shirt. She didn't recognize him.

"You remember Keith?" Kari asked.

_Keith? Whoa, talk about a transformation_. "You used to have really long hair and you wore big shorts and t-shirts." Brynn hoped her facial expression wasn't too obvious.

"Yeah, I had to clean up some for dental school."

Brynn thought for a second. "Remember when you caught your hair on fire that one day in science?"

Keith laughed. "That was awesome."

"It's good to see you."

"You, too," he said.

Brynn turned to Kari. "Craig and I want to get some ice cream."

"Oh."

"Do you want to come?"

Kari shrugged. "There are still some people I'd like to see."

"Okay. I'll stay here with you." She didn't want to abandon Kari.

"No. Go on with Craig." Kari waved her hand. "I'll meet you back at the hotel."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Besides, I'll probably head back pretty soon so I can call Connor again and talk to him. It was too loud earlier to have a real conversation with him."

Brynn followed Craig through the crowded room, trying to avoid colliding with anyone. She stepped around a classmate and bumped right into Troy, making him spill his drink all down the front of his blue shirt. She stared at him for moment, her brain trying to communicate something to her paralyzed mouth.

"Oh... Uh... I'm so sorry." She tried to wipe at his shirt, but stepped on his foot instead.

He grimaced.

"Oh, wow. I am so sorry. Again." She wanted to evaporate.

"Don't worry about it."

"But your shirt is all wet. And your foot--"

"It's fine. And it's good to see you." His teeth were bright white like she remembered, and he had that same mole right above his full, kissable lips. His thick dark hair framed his deep brown eyes. Definitely still a god among mortals.

"How have you been?" Her tongue swelled to three times its size.

"Excellent. You?" His mesmerizing eyes still made her legs wobbly.

"Great." _Say something else. Something witty_.

Several moments passed while a cloud of awkwardness enveloped them.

Juliana walked up and grabbed Troy by the arm. "We have a table over here."

"Okay. See you later," Troy said.

"Sure."

Brynn quickly caught up to Craig. That reunion certainly didn't meet any of her expectations. At all. She'd fantasized about seeing Troy again, hoping he'd whisk her up in his arms and tell her he'd been thinking about her all of these years. _Silly girl. Just a fantasy_. She'd read way too many romance novels and vowed to never read another one, because they created false hopes. _Stupid books_.

"My car is right over here," Craig said.

"Wow. It's beautiful. I never pictured you driving a Lexus." The sleek black car with flashy hubcaps was impressive.

"One of the perks of where I work." He said it with an endearing humility as he opened her door for her.

"Thank you. Still the gentleman, I see." She slid into the soft leather seat.

"My mom thanks you for noticing."

Inside the car, Craig played some songs from high school, including one by her all-time favorite, Justin Timberlake. "These songs bring back so many memories. I feel like we could drive right over to Seaspray High and go to our classes."

Craig rolled down their windows and she inhaled the cool night air, feeling relaxed and at ease. She'd missed the way that Craig made her feel.

Soon they were on Ocean Street. Craig parked the car right in front of the ice cream place, and they went inside the familiar spot.

"Remember that one night we came here after a performance, and we all started singing _Summer Nights_ and the whole place joined in? Then we walked down the street singing _We Go Together_." Brynn said, happy memories flooding in.

"That was a good night."

"I guess high school had its highlights. It wasn't all lame."

"We had fun in theater."

The petite girl behind the counter asked them for their orders.

"I'll have a scoop of--"

"Actually she wants two scoops. Death by Chocolate and Mint Chocolate chip," Craig said.

Brynn looked at him. "You remembered."

"Kinda hard to forget. You ordered the same thing every time we came here."

Brynn turned to the girl, "He'll have a scoop of vanilla." She held up her hand. "I know, totally boring, right?"

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with vanilla."

"Except it's bland and plain and dull."

"Don't be dissin' my vanilla." The corners of his mouth lifted.

"I never could convince you to try another flavor."

"I know what I like," he said, holding Brynn's gaze for a moment.

They crossed the street and walked over to the beach. Brynn removed her shoes and carried them in her free hand. The sand was cool and silky beneath her feet, and the moon's reflection skittered across the water. They sat near the water's edge, the rhythmic waves lapping at the shore.

"Has your life turned out the way you hoped?" Brynn asked.

"In some ways, yeah." Craig kept his gaze toward the horizon.

"Like what?"

"I went to college. I have a career I love. I'm helping people." He licked his ice cream. "What about you?"

She wanted to give her canned answer that life was fabulous and she loved every bit of it, but being with Craig prodded her to be honest. "Not really what I planned, but it's turning out okay. I never thought I'd live in Texas."

"Well, gee, ma'am, what's not to like about Texas?" Craig said in drawl.

Brynn laughed. "I like it. I just thought I'd end up somewhere else, doing something different. I mean, I like my job, but..."

"If you could be anywhere, doing anything, what would it be?"

"That's a hard question." She licked her ice cream, the minty taste sliding across her tongue and down her throat. "I guess if I could do anything, I'd be on Broadway. Do the whole performance thing. Be famous." She started laughing.

"What's funny?"

"That whole idea. Me on Broadway." Like she could have ever pulled that off.

Craig lifted his eyebrows. "If I remember right, you were pretty amazing on stage."

"You're sweet to say that."

"I mean it. I thought you'd pursue theater in college."

"Not practical." She picked up some sand and let it sift through her fingers.

"And practical wins, right?"

"It has to."

"Have you done any theater since graduation?"

She stretched out her legs. "No. You?"

He dipped his head. "A little."

"Really?"

Craig leaned back on his elbows. "A couple community plays a few years back."

"That's awesome."

"It was fun. Not as fun as our theater group though."

"Well, of course."

Craig stood. He started to beat box to _You're The One That I Want_ then held his hand out to Brynn.

"I can't sing out here." She looked around. "And I haven't sung that song in years."

He reached down and pulled her up. "Remember how you made me practice this song with you at least a hundred times because it was your favorite one?"

"Yeah, but--"

"You still know it, right?"

She gave a slight nod.

He started over again with Danny Zuko's part then made a sizzling sound as if he were being electrocuted.

Brynn laughed.

He looked at her expectantly. She cleared her throat and started to softly sing Sandy's first part.

"Come on, Brynn, belt it out. Like you used to. Pretend we're on stage." The moonlight illuminated his wide grin.

"But we're at the beach."

He started singing and added some moves to the song as he made his way across the sand.

Brynn sang her next part louder, and before she knew it, she was belting it out.

They walked along the shore singing _You're The One That I Want_ underneath a blanket of twinkling stars. At the end, he spun her into him then twirled her back out.

"See, wasn't that fun? I should've been Danny."

"I totally agree." She left her hand in his. "I'd forgotten how much I love to sing that song." A breeze blew some strands of hair into her face.

Craig moved closer to her and brushed the loose hair away. "I've missed you, Brynn. I'm sorry we lost touch."

"Me too." A sudden quiver crossed her stomach and her breathing increased. She awkwardly stepped back, unsure what was happening. "Uh, I wonder what time it is."

Craig glanced up at the sky. "By the position of the moon, I'd say it was close to eleven."

"You can't tell time by the moon."

"Sure you can. In fact, I'd say it was about ten fifty-two." His gaze met hers, making her nerves tingle. _This is weird_. If she were with any other man, especially Troy, she'd think she was attracted, but not with Craig. That didn't make any sense, because they were best friends. At least they used to be.

Brynn pulled out her phone. The time was exactly ten fifty-two. "How did you do that?"

"Moon time," he said with complete confidence.

She tried to slug him in the arm, but he caught her hand. A sizzling sensation traveled up her arm. _What is going on? This is Craig. Just Craig_. She withdrew her hand. "I better get back to the hotel. Kari will wonder where I am."

They walked back to the car without saying anything. Thoughts tumbled in Brynn's head. She couldn't be feeling attracted to Craig. That would be too bizarre. He was the one she'd told all her secrets to. He was her friend and only her friend. Right?

As they drove back to the hotel, they chatted about the weather, books they'd both read, and which state had the worst drivers. Texas won, hands down.

"Where are you staying?" Brynn asked.

"With my parents."

"Oh, yeah. Do they still live in the same place?" She'd spent a lot of time over there.

"Yes. I think they'll live there forever."

"Does your mom still bake those scrumptious molasses cookies?" One of her favorite memories was going to Craig's house and overdosing on his mom's cookies. She couldn't get enough, and his mom always seemed more than happy to oblige her addiction.

"She makes some every time I come home to visit."

"I remember they melted in my mouth. So, so good." Brynn could almost taste the sweet, spicy treats.

"I'll tell her." He smiled, and she noticed a dimple she hadn't seen before.

"Thanks for taking me to get ice cream. And for singing on the beach. I haven't had this much fun in a long time. Thank you." Brynn couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so invigorated. So relaxed and free to be herself.

"I'll see you at the picnic?" He looked at her expectantly.

She nodded. "Sure."

Brynn got out of the car and waved as Craig drove away still trying to analyze why she'd reacted the way she did. Being with him felt natural. Easy. Good. It was worth coming to the reunion to reconnect with her best friend, and she assured herself that's what it was--strong feelings of friendship resurfacing. _Definitely_ what it was.

Brynn made her way up to her room and found Kari sitting on the bed texting on her phone.

"Hey," Brynn said.

Kari put down her phone. "How was ice cream?"

"As delicious as I remember it." She tossed her bag on the bed and kicked off her shoes. She still had some sand between her toes. "Did I miss anything?"

Kari shook her head. "No one else interesting showed up." She paused. "Did you ever talk to Troy?"

"Uh, yeah." The memory lit her cheeks on fire. "I saw him right before I left. Talk about awkward. And embarrassing."

"Why?" Kari's eyes grew big. "What happened?"

"Not much." Brynn fell dramatically onto the bed. "Except that I made him spill his drink. Then I stepped on his foot. I stood there like a gaping fool when Juliana pulled him away. I guess I should be grateful she did, before I could do something else humiliating." Brynn grabbed a pillow and covered her face.

"I'm sure it wasn't as bad as you think."

In a muffled voice, Brynn answered, "Oh, yeah, it was definitely as bad. Worse because I could barely eke out a coherent sentence."

"I think you're exaggerating."

Brynn threw the pillow off the bed. "I wish."

"There's still tomorrow." Kari gave her a hopeful look.

"I'm sure he won't want to talk to me and risk wearing his lunch."

That night, as Brynn lay in bed, she replayed the embarrassing incident. Troy would only see her as an idiot now. _Why did I have to act like a clumsy teenager all over again?_

Without warning, she was back at the beach. Under the moonlight. Singing with Craig. The cool sand shifting beneath her feet. A smile played on her lips, and her heartbeat quickened, but she shook her head, determined not to let Craig invade her thoughts.

#

Craig drove back to his parents' house. He got out of his car and leaned against it, gazing up at the moon he'd just been under with Brynn. There was definitely something there. And it was more than friendly feelings.

He'd been tempted to kiss her, but feared it would've freaked her out. Yet he could feel something coming from her.

He shook his head. Maybe he was merely hoping she felt something for him. Craig walked into the darkened house and headed for the kitchen.

Opening the refrigerator, he grabbed a jug of milk. When he shut the door, he jumped.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." His mom stood there in her pink robe with a plate piled with molasses cookies.

"No worries. I'm sure my heart will kick in soon." He patted his chest. "You made me molasses cookies?"

"Because I love you."

They sat at the kitchen table, and his mom handed him a cookie. "How was the reunion tonight?"

"Good." He didn't want to mention Brynn and make his mom think there was anything to talk about. Because there wasn't.

"Who did you see?"

"Lots of people. I was surprised at how many showed up." He bit into the soft, spicy cookie.

"Anyone I'd know?"

"Probably." He sipped his milk.

"What about Brynn? Was she there?"

He swallowed hard. "Yeah."

"How is she doing?" His mom peered at him with her penetrating eyes as if searching for an indication that he felt something more than friendship toward Brynn.

"Good." He didn't want to say anymore, so he left it at that.

"You haven't talked about her in years." His mom took a bite from her cookie. "She used to come over here all the time."

"We lost touch." He really didn't want to talk to his mom about Brynn.

"I always liked her and wondered why the two of you never dated."

He nodded. "I remember you saying that once or twice," he said with sarcasm.

"Is she married now?"

"You know who I saw? Remember Pete Kramer? He used to live down the street--"

"Sure. I remember Pete."

Craig successfully steered the conversation away from Brynn. "Pete is married with a baby. He works in the bay area as an engineer."

"He was a nice kid."

For a few minutes, they didn't say anything.

"Don't think I didn't notice," his mom finally said, giving him a knowing look.

"What?"

"How you changed the subject."

"What are you talking about?" He hated that his mom was so perceptive.

"I know you used to like Brynn."

"We were friends. Still are. Nothing more." Was he trying to convince her or himself?

She waved her hand. "I might be old, but I'm not too old to see it in your eyes."

"See what?"

"You know what."

"Mom," he said with authority, trying to dispel her implication that he and Brynn were anything more than friends.

She stood and rested her hand on his shoulder. "Don't miss an opportunity. That's all." With that, she left him alone in the kitchen.

He took a cookie and dunked it in his milk.

The next morning, Brynn awoke, ready to go to the picnic and feeling more confident about talking to Troy. Maybe if Juliana let him off his leash long enough she might be able to have an actual conversation with him.

But what if she _did_ talk to him? What would she say? She'd probably blurt out something stupid like how she'd had a crush on him all through high school, and even now she still thought about him, which made her sound like a total loser. And after the awkward incident last night, she was sure he'd want nothing to do with her.

She sat up in her bed and rubbed her temples. Maybe it was a big mistake to come to this reunion anyway. What was she expecting? That Troy would confess his undying love to her and ask her to run away with him to Hawaii? She laughed to herself. Her imagination was far too vivid for reality. The truth was, even if she had another chance to talk to Troy, it'd be as disastrous as it was last night. They were not soulmates--cue the corny music--destined to find each other at a high school reunion.

Kari stretched her arms out then yawned. "Hey, Brynn. Ready for today?"

Brynn shrugged. What was the point of going today? She'd already seen Troy and made a fool out of herself. It wasn't like anything would change at the picnic. Troy would still be with Juliana and Brynn would still be the nerd who loved him from afar. She wasn't sure which was more annoying--that Troy and Juliana were coupled off or that Brynn still cared about it.

"You aren't having second thoughts about going are you?" Kari kicked her sheet off.

"I don't know." Somehow, Brynn had been swallowed in a time warp, and she'd reverted back to her high school mind riddled with self-doubt.

"Because things were awkward with Troy last night?" Kari didn't attempt to mask her disappointed tone.

"Maybe." Skipping the rest of the reunion seemed to be the best idea so she could avoid any more possible humiliation.

Kari shook her head. "That's lame."

Brynn lay back on the bed. _Am I being ridiculous?_

"You can't let that run you off from seeing people."

"Why not? I'm too embarrassed to go."

"You are making a much bigger deal out of this than there is." Kari sat up. "Troy has probably forgotten all about it. I'm sure it'll be much better today anyway. You don't want to miss out on your chance, right?"

Brynn let out an audible sigh. Even if there ever was a tiny, minuscule chance something could happen with Troy, Brynn was sure she'd blown it.

Kari rose from bed and stopped in front of the mirror to finger-brush her hair. "Besides, it'll be fun to see Craig again."

Brynn _had_ told Craig she'd see him at the picnic. "Yeah. I'd forgotten how fun he is." Memories from their performance on the beach rushed in and sent a ribbon of warmth through her. "He's an attorney now in San Diego."

"That's awesome." Kari looked at her. "Is he single?"

"Yes."

"Oh." The inflection in Kari's voice was obvious.

"What?" As if she didn't know what Kari was alluding to.

"Nothing." Kari grabbed a rubber band and piled her hair on top of her head then walked into the bathroom.

"There's nothing between Craig and me. There never was." And she meant it. They were best friends. That's all. Totally all. For sure.

Kari peeked her head out. "Only because you were so obsessed with Troy, you couldn't see what a great guy Craig was. Or that he liked you."

"False. Craig and I were only friends. _Friends_ ," she emphasized. "He dated lots of other girls. He never wanted to date me."

Kari leaned against the door jamb. "Yes he did. You just didn't see it. Or didn't want to."

"You have it all wrong." Now Kari was the one that was being ridiculous. There was no romantic future with Craig.

"All I know is that his eyes lit up when he saw you last night."

"No they didn't." Brynn rolled her eyes at Kari's implication.

"Okay. Don't listen to me." Kari went back into the bathroom.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Brynn tried to kick off her sheets, but her feet became entangled in them. Finally, after a struggle, she freed herself. _Stupid sheets_. She stood and grabbed her suitcase, setting it roughly on the bed. Kari was way off about Craig. Way off.

_Troy_ was the one she wanted to date. Troy.

#

Brynn and Kari pulled up to Sheffield Park in Kari's car. Kari had convinced her to go to the picnic, but that's all Brynn had committed to.

They walked toward the picnic area that overlooked the Pacific. The cloudless sky was a pastel blue and leaves swayed in the gentle breeze. Brynn missed the fragrant warm air that wisped through her hair and reminded her of long days at the beach with her parents.

Classmates were already piling up their plates with hot dogs, hamburgers, and chips. She got in line behind Kari. After getting their food, they found a spot to sit down under the shade of a large tree.

"Brynn and Kari. Still best friends?" Jenna Wilkins, a tall brunette who hadn't changed much since high school, asked.

"Yep," Kari said.

"Remember that time we had a slumber party at your house, Kari, and we toilet papered Troy Richard's house after they won the state championship?"

"Yeah. That was epic."

"I think we had a couple dozen rolls and threw them way up into the trees." Jenna nodded.

"And we were all good about keeping it our little secret. I don't think he knows even to this day," Kari said.

Brynn hoped not. She clearly remembered that night and being scared to death he'd see who was TPing the house. She'd wanted to see him, but she didn't want him to see her tossing toilet paper all over his yard.

"It was such a great job, the newspaper even got a picture of it," Jenna said.

"And, thankfully, they didn't know who did it either. We should keep it that way," Kari laughed. "My parents still think we were out getting ice cream that night."

Kari and Jenna continued to reminisce. Brynn decided to go get a soda, so she walked back over to the table area.

"Brynn?" came a deep voice.

She turned. "Troy." Her hearbeat echoed in her ears.

"We didn't get to talk much last night."

"Sorry about spilling that drink all over you." Her hands felt large and out of place.

"No big deal." He smiled and Brynn was sure his teeth sparkled in the sunlight.

"Where's Juliana?" As soon as it came out of her mouth, she wanted to call it back. She sounded like a jealous teenager.

"I'm not sure."

Long moments of silence hung over them.

"There's a bench over there. I haven't eaten yet." Troy held a plate with two hamburgers on it. "Do you want to join me?"

"Uh, sure." She was going to sit on a bench with Troy Richards. Together. Was her dream finally becoming a reality? Brynn wanted to pinch herself.

They walked to the bench and both sat. The breeze fanned Brynn's warm cheeks while she searched for something, anything, to say. "The reunion has been fun. I flew in for the weekend for it. And to see Kari, of course. She really wanted me to come." Brynn cleared her dry throat. "We're staying together at the Olive Mill Inn. Kind of a girls' weekend thing. Almost like the slumber parties we used to have. Those were fun." _Stop babbling_. "Are you enjoying the reunion?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "What have you been doing since high school?"

"Oh, well, I went to college and graduated. I work in Houston as a project manager." Her tongue felt twice its size.

"You like it?" He bit into his hamburger.

"Yes. My job is great and Texas is fantastic. What about you?"

"I played basketball for UCLA and hoped I'd get recruited for the NBA. At least, that was my plan." He had a smear of ketchup near his mouth.

"And?" _Should I hand him a napkin?_

"I came down from a shot during my senior year and blew out my knee. No more basketball for me." The ketchup spot was almost mesmerizing.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I hadn't heard. What did you end up doing _?" Stop being distracted by the stupid ketchup. This is Troy Richards and he's talking to me. Finally._

"I finished college and graduated in business. I work with my dad here in Seaspray as a financial planner." He swiped at his mouth with his hand and found the spot.

"Sounds interesting. Are you married?" Oh no. Did she just ask that? How obvious was she?

He shook his head. "Nope. You?"

"Same." She sipped her soda, wishing she could disappear inside the can.

He looked out toward the horizon. "I used to come to this park. You know, to think about life and stuff." He sat back. "Remember that play back in middle school?"

The one she remembered regularly? The one where he'd held her hand. The one where she'd fallen head over heels for him? _That_ play? "Which one?"

He looked at her. "The one in eighth grade when we sat together, and I held your hand."

Trying to play it cool, she said, "Oh. _That_ one. Yeah, I think so." No point in telling him she'd obsessed over it for years.

"I really liked you." He laughed.

"Yeah, I could tell," she said with a hint of sarcasm. "You held my hand at the play then never said another word to me for the rest of that year or throughout high school. You must have _really_ liked me." She finally had the chance to get that off her chest.

"Wait, let me explain."

"Okay." She'd been waiting for an explanation for almost fifteen years.

"Troy? I've been looking all over for you," Juliana said, interrupting them with her screechy voice. "What are you doing over here?"

"Talking to Brynn."

Juliana gave Brynn a phony smile.

"Hi, Juliana," Brynn said as sweetly as she could, just to annoy her.

"Oh, hi." She turned to Troy. "Come on. We're all waiting for you."

"I'm talking to Brynn right now."

"I'm sure she'll understand. Right, Brynn? I mean, this is the first time we've had everyone together in years and we need to finalize our plans for tonight. Come on, Troy."

A look of defeat crossed Troy's face. "I still want to finish this conversation."

"Sure." Watching him acquiesce to Juliana took Brynn right back to high school. Why did Juliana have to interrupt them? Especially when Troy was about to admit why he'd ignored her after the hand-holding incident. She wanted to beg him to stay and tell her, but instead she kept quiet.

He walked off with Juliana, leaving Brynn by herself. She stood and moved over to the chain-link fence close to the edge of the cliff to view the ocean. It was so calm. So constant. She'd been to the coast in Texas, but it couldn't compare to her Pacific. She'd missed this area and decided she needed to visit more often, even if her family wasn't here anymore. Seaspray was woven into her heart and always would be.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice Craig until he was at her side. "There you are."

"Oh, hey."

Craig looked at her then out toward the horizon. "Beautiful view."

She gazed at him, noticing how the color of his eyes matched the pale blue sky. "Are you having fun?"

"Yeah. Did you see Marcus Williams?"

"No. Is he here?" She glanced back at the group.

"Yep. Married with three kids."

"Three?"

Craig nodded.

"Wow, that's fast. Most of us aren't even married yet."

"I guess he got lucky and found his soulmate."

After a few minutes elapsed, Brynn asked, "Do you really believe in that?"

Craig smoothed his short hair, his gaze thoughtful. "You know, I think I do. The trick is finding that person."

"I'm not sure I believe in soulmates. Maybe it's just a romantic notion that doesn't really exist, considering the divorce rate."

"You have a point," Craig said. "But I think once you find the one you want to marry it's all about making the choice every day to fall in love all over again. I figure if I love her enough to marry her in the first place, why can't I love her for the rest of my life?"

She looked at Craig. He'd grown into a very wise man, not to mention a very handsome one.

Craig continued to gaze toward the horizon. "I mean, we make all sorts of choices with our careers, where we're going to live, what kind of car to buy. Why can't we choose the most important thing--to love the one we marry? Then that person becomes our soulmate." He paused. "I guess I don't believe in the fall in love in a sudden rush kind of thing, but rather the learning to be in love every day idea."

"I've never thought of it that way."

Craig looked at her. "I think too many of us are trying to "fall in love" and see it as some romantic event when sometimes, it's been right in front of us all along--we just have to realize it."

Brynn nodded. "When did you become such a philosopher, Mr. Attorney?"

Craig shrugged. "How about a drive?"

Brynn turned toward the group and glanced around. If she left, she wouldn't have another chance to talk to Troy. If Juliana would leave him alone for two seconds, she might get to talk to him again. "Kari is still here."

"Actually, she got a call and left. She asked me if I could take you back to the hotel."

"Oh. I hope everything is okay."

Craig leaned against the fence. "I think it was something for work."

Brynn finally spotted Troy. He was deep in conversation with the same clique he'd been in during high school, with Juliana practically sitting on his lap. "Yeah, let's go on a drive."

They left the park and headed out on the street that followed the shore. Craig pulled into the parking lot of the harbor.

Brynn jumped out of the car. She hadn't walked along the breakwater since she was a teenager. The area hadn't changed much. Still plenty of fishermen and boats docked at the harbor with seagulls flying and calling to each other overhead.

They walked past the shops and a couple of restaurants before making it to the long strip of cement that separated the harbor from the blue-green ocean. Depending on the time of day and the tide, the sea spray could drench anyone walking down it. "Being here reminds me of my dad. We used to take long walks along the breakwater and try to avoid getting wet. We'd talk and talk. I loved coming here with him."

Craig smiled, the skin near his eyes crinkling.

"But you knew that."

"Yeah, I knew that."

Of course he knew. Craig knew everything about her. At least he used to.

Brynn looked out over the vast ocean. "I feel close to my dad here."

They continued to walk without saying anything for a few minutes.

"I spent time out here contemplating life and what to do with mine," Craig said. "It's peaceful, and the rhythm of breaking waves is calming."

"And that's how you decided to become a lawyer?"

His face tensed. "I didn't like the injustice of the world."

She stared at him.

"Yes, I decided to go into law to make sure people had justice. Because." He paused. "Because of what happened to your dad." He looked at her with intensity.

"Really?" Because of my dad?" She was surprised, even taken aback by his admission, but it touched her heart in a profound way.

"Yeah."

"It wasn't fair," Brynn said.

"No, it wasn't."

She gazed out over the water again, trying to rein in the anger that still surfaced when she thought about the accident. "That guy was totally drunk."

"It wasn't right that he took your dad's life and got off."

Her anger was replaced by the guilt she'd been fighting since the night it happened. "I've thought about the accident so many times. Over and over and over again." She bit her quivering lip. "It was my fault, you know."

"Why do you think that?" Craig asked, his brows pulled together.

She'd never told Craig--she'd never told anyone. She'd kept this secret buried inside for all these years. Maybe it was time to finally share it, so the burden wouldn't be as heavy.

After a few minutes, in a quiet voice, she began, "My mom was at a meeting that night." Her throat tightened. "I asked him to go to the store to get me some ice cream. He said we could ask Mom to bring it home, but I insisted. I wanted it right then. I didn't want to wait. Because, well, the world revolved around me and whatever I wanted was the most important thing. Right?" Tears built behind her eyes remembering how she practically demanded her dad go out. "He didn't want to go, but I begged him." She rubbed her forehead. "If he hadn't gone, if I'd just been patient, that drunk driver wouldn't have hit him." She drew in a ragged breath. "And changed my life forever." A tear slid down her cheek. "I've relived that night so many times, wishing I'd never asked. Wishing I'd kept my mouth shut. Maybe I'd still have him."

Silence hung over them for what seemed like hours. Craig finally said, "It wasn't your fault. You were not to blame. At all. It was the drunk driver's fault. He chose to drink and then he chose to drive. His choice. His fault."

"But if I--"

Craig put his finger to her lips. "Not your fault." He pulled her into a hug, his strong arms embracing her. She could smell his musky cologne while they stood there.

Brynn took a few steps back and wiped at her eyes. "Thank you. I've never told anyone about that. I felt too guilty."

"But you shouldn't. You need to let go of it."

"I feel better talking to you. I should've told you how I felt years ago. After all, I told you everything else."

"Yeah." An expression crossed Craig's face, but Brynn couldn't quite read it.

"I'm glad you came to the reunion. I hope we don't lose touch again." She meant it. She had forgotten how much she enjoyed being with Craig and how easy it was to talk to him.

Craig peered at Brynn, and his gaze captured hers. Something tugged at her stomach and her face suddenly heated. He stepped closer to her, their faces only inches apart. Her heartbeat was on rapid fire and her breath caught in her throat. _Is he going to kiss me? Do I want him to?_

Brynn's phone rang, disrupting the moment. She cleared her throat and answered it.

"Where are you?' Kari asked.

"At the harbor."

"When are you coming back?"

Brynn glanced at Craig, who had stepped back from her. "Now, I think."

"Good."

"Why?"

"No reason." There was something in Kari's voice, but Brynn couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Brynn ended the call. "That was Kari."

"Oh." Craig seemed distant.

"I think she wants me back at the hotel for some reason, but I'm not sure why."

"We should go then," he said in a tight voice.

They drove to the hotel without saying anything. Brynn went over what happened in her mind. It seemed like Craig wanted to kiss her and to her surprise, she considered liking it. Even wanting it. What was going on? _This is too strange_.

They arrived at the hotel. "Thanks for..." Brynn's sentence trailed off.

Craig smiled, but it was flat. "See you tonight at the dinner."

"Okay."

She watched him drive off. She assured herself that even if there had been a _moment_ , it was only because she'd shared deep feelings with him and they were caught up in emotions. Nothing else. Right? _Right._

When Brynn walked into the hotel room she spotted a vase with flowers on the table. "Those are nice." She touched a supple red rose. "From Connor?"

"Nope." Kari seemed to be suppressing a smile.

Puzzled, Brynn asked, "Who?"

"Read the card."

Brynn removed the small envelope and opened it. She read it aloud. "I hope we can spend some time together tonight at the dinner and dance. Troy." Brynn's heart went into convulsions. She stared at Kari.

"Sorry. I opened it because I thought they were from Connor."

"But. Wait." Brynn pointed at the card. "What?" Was her long-held fantasy really, in truly, becoming a reality? Was Troy seriously interested in her?

"I know, right?" Kari nodded.

"Troy sent me flowers?" She couldn't believe it. "What does this mean?"

"I think it means all that dreaming of him back in high school might come true tonight."

"Wow." Brynn sat on the edge of the bed. "I never thought..."

"Maybe he's been thinking about you all this time." Kari sat next to her and slung her arm around Brynn's shoulder.

Brynn wrinkled her forehead. "You think?"

"Looks like it."

"I think I'm in shock. I never thought he even noticed me after the hand-holding thing. It was like I didn't exist." A smile spread across her face like a wildfire.

"Looks like you were wrong." Kari raised her eyebrows.

Brynn wasn't sure what to think or how to feel. Troy had sent her flowers. _Troy_. Here at the reunion. She hadn't even wanted to come and now it almost seemed as if all her dreams might come true. The man she'd thought about all of these years seemed to have thought about her too. Giddiness surged through every part of her body.

What a difference a weekend could make. 

#

In his old bedroom, Craig dressed for the semi-formal dinner and dance in his new black Armani suit.

A knock sounded at the door. "Craig?"

"You can come in, Mom."

She opened the door and whistled. "You look so handsome. You are going to steal someone's heart tonight for sure."

"Thanks." He hoped she was right.

"Your dad and I are going out to dinner with some friends. What time are you leaving tomorrow?"

"I don't have to be back at my office until Monday afternoon, so I'll leave early Monday morning."

She clasped her hands together. "Good. I was hoping you could stay longer. That'll give us a chance to talk more. If you want to invite anyone over for lunch or dinner tomorrow, that'd be--"

"Okay, mom." He held up his hand. "Thanks. I'll remember that." His mom never stopped. Her intentions were good, but he wanted to find the woman that was right for him regardless of his mom's timetable.

"We'll see you later then." She shut the door.

Craig sat on the bed. Earlier, if the phone call hadn't interrupted them, he would've kissed Brynn. The moment was there, and by the look in her eyes, he was pretty sure she would've reciprocated. _Stupid phone call_.

He'd thought about asking her out so many times when they were teenagers, but the time never seemed right. He'd wanted more than friendship from Brynn back then. He wanted more than friendship now. Instead of waiting for the right time, maybe he needed to make the time right and see what would happen if he kissed her. How would he feel? How would she respond? If he didn't do it tonight, he may never have another opportunity, and he'd be left wondering. Again.

He walked into the bathroom and adjusted his tie. Combing his hair, he stared at himself in the mirror.

_I don't want to spend any more time wondering. Tonight is the night. I'm going to kiss Brynn and see where it leads us._

#

Brynn finished straightening her hair then sprayed her favorite perfume on her neck. Tonight might be the beginning of something amazing. She tried not to think too much about it, because every time she did, her heart wanted to take a nose dive out of her chest.

"Wow, you look stunning in that dress. It fits you in all the right places," Kari said. "And the deep blue matches your eyes. You are going to make Troy wish he'd dated you years ago."

"Thanks. You look beautiful in your dress. The white makes you look super tan."

Kari smiled. "I wish Connor were here. He said some big thing happened at work and he wouldn't even be able to talk to me the rest of the night." She made a pouty face.

"He's definitely missing out on some gorgeousness."

"I guess he'll just have to make it up to me later." Kari fluffed her hair. "Are we ready to wow our classmates?"

Brynn linked her arm through Kari's. "Definitely. Let's go."

When they walked into the ballroom, it had been transformed into a fantasyland. Tiny twinkling lights adorned the room and spread out above them. Fresh cut flowers and sparkling confetti decorated the tables. Large tropical plants were on either side of the stage where the band would later play.

While they stood looking at the decorations, someone approached them from behind then grabbed Kari around the waist. "Who is it?" Kari said as she turned around. She squealed and hugged the unfamiliar man.

It didn't take a genius to figure out who it was.

"When did you get here? Why didn't you tell me?" Kari gushed. "You said a big work thing came up."

"I lied." He shrugged. "I wanted to surprise you." His deep brown eyes were focused only on Kari.

"You did!"

"I didn't want to spend the whole weekend away from you."

Kari kissed him. "I'm so glad you're here." She turned to Brynn. "This is--"

"Connor, I'm guessing."

He reached out and shook her hand with a strong grip. "Nice to meet you." She could certainly see why Kari had fallen for him--he was handsome and sweet. He'd planned this surprise for Kari, and it was obvious he cared about her. Maybe she'd found her soulmate.

"You too." Brynn leaned in. "You be good to Kari, she's an amazing woman."

"Yes, she is."

Connor kissed Kari on the cheek then pulled her close.

"Isn't he the best?" Kari said.

Brynn nodded, knowing that this meant she'd be solo tonight since Kari would be preoccupied with her man. "Have a great night."

"What do you mean?" Kari blinked. "We aren't leaving. We'll be here." .

Brynn smiled at her friend's gesture. "You should enjoy your night together. Without me."

"No way. This is still _our_ reunion."

"Kari's right. I didn't come to take her away. I came to join her," Connor said. "And you. High school reunions are very entertaining. I went to mine a couple of years ago."

As they were talking, Brynn noticed Kari's eyes get bigger. "What?" Brynn said.

Kari inclined her head to the right.

"What?" Brynn asked again then realized what Kari was trying to tell her. "Oh."

A few moments later, Troy was next to Brynn. "Hi."

"Hi." She hoped he wouldn't notice her shaking legs. "Thanks for the flowers."

"I hope you liked them."

"Very much." Troy looked so attractive in his tailored, charcoal gray suit and lavender dress shirt.

_Calm down. Be cool_.

"I was wondering if we could sit together for the dinner tonight," he said.

_Someone pinch me_. First, Troy had approached her yesterday and then he'd sent her flowers. Now he was asking to sit with her for dinner. "Sure." _Could this night get any better?_

All four of them made their way over to a table and sat on the upholstered chairs. They shared some small talk then began eating dinner. Brynn was cutting a piece of her chicken, when it shot off her plate and landed in Troy's lap. "Oh, I'm so sorry." Her face was on fire. She wanted to slink out of the room. Why was it that she had to spill on Troy? Every. Single. Time.

"No problem." Troy wiped at his pants.

"Oh, no. It might stain. Maybe you should go to the bathroom and wash it off." She wanted to offer to help, but was sure she'd end up drenching him or otherwise making it worse. Why did she have to be so clumsy around him?

"Good idea," Troy said with a light-hearted smile.

After he left, they all started to laugh.

"I'm so embarrassed," Brynn said. "Why am I such an idiot around him?"

"I wouldn't worry about it," Kari said.

"It's not a big deal," Connor said.

"Still. I feel bad. I should go over and see if I can help somehow." Brynn stood and reluctantly walked toward the bathroom. Before she reached it, Juliana sidled up next to her.

"It's Brynn, right?"

"Yes." As if she didn't know.

"How are you?" Juliana asked.

"Good. You?" Brynn reminded herself to be civil.

"Great." Juliana flashed her oversized smile.

Brynn tried to take a step forward, but Juliana blocked her.

With narrowed eyes, Juliana said, "Do you really think he's interested in _you_?"

"Excuse me?" Brynn hadn't expected her to be so blunt.

"You're just another notch in his belt." She smoothed her black, form-fitting dress.

"What?" __ Brynn stared at Juliana.

"Troy is only interested in one thing."

"I don't know why you think this is any of your business." How dare she? Brynn wanted to let Juliana have it, but she promised herself to she wouldn't act like she was still in high school.

"I'm only trying to save you from being humiliated. Troy is interested in the conquest, but that's it. He loves the chase, but tires easily of the capture." Juliana acted as if she were doing Brynn a favor. As if she really cared. _As if._

Brynn had had enough. "Coming from personal experience?"

Juliana's jaw tightened. "Don't say I didn't warn you." She slithered off.

Reminding herself that Juliana's world had revolved around Troy in high school, and apparently still did, Brynn took some calming breaths. _Juliana is jealous, that's all._ By the time she spotted Troy, Brynn had relaxed from the encounter, because, after all, _she_ was with Troy. "I'm so sorry about your pants."

"No big deal. I washed it off. Let's go back to dinner."

Troy held out his hand for Brynn and she took it, expecting to feel a thrill of electricity rush up her arm. Instead, she felt nothing. Was it because Juliana had said those things? Brynn tried to erase them from her mind, because she wasn't going to let Juliana's insinuations rob her of her chance with Troy.

"Looks like you peed your pants," Kari said when they got to the table. She laughed.

Brynn gave her an I-can't-believe-you-said-that look.

During the rest of dinner they talked more about music, sports, and Connor asked Troy some financial questions.

Despite being there with Troy, her dream date, Brynn found herself scanning the room several times looking for Craig. She hadn't seen him and wondered where he was. He'd be happy for her that she was with Troy. Wouldn't he? She was happy to be with Troy. Wasn't she?

"Let's go outside for a minute," Troy said.

Brynn followed him out and they stood under a canopy of sparkling stars. Her skin reacted to the chill of the night air and erupted in goose bumps.

"Would you like my suit coat?" Troy asked.

"I'm fine." Her teeth chattered.

Troy removed his coat and placed it around her shoulders. _What a gentleman_.

They leaned over the railing, watching the moonlight bounce across the choppy water.

"Perfect night," Troy said.

"Yes." It was a perfect night, and she was with the perfect guy. Everything she'd hoped for all through high school was happening. It was really happening.

Troy cleared his throat. "I want to explain."

"Okay." What was he talking about? Explain what?

"Back in middle school, at that play, when we held hands." He shifted his weight.

"Yeah?" Was he finally going to tell her why ignored her afterwards? She'd waited a long time to hear this.

"All I could think about was how much I liked you."

_He liked me?He sure had a strange way of showing it._ "But you never talked to me again."

"I know." He glanced at her. "I was scared."

"Of me?" Troy was scared of _her_? She hadn't expected him to say that.

"Yeah. I wasn't sure what to do. I didn't know if you liked me. If I should talk to you. Or what." He sounded like a teenager who was trying to ask a girl out for the first time.

"So you said nothing." She wasn't trying to be rude, but he'd left her wondering for years.

"Yeah. And then it was kind of awkward. I wanted to talk to you, but time had passed and I felt weird."

"And you started hanging out with your friends." _Especially Juliana, who kept you within arm's reach all through school._

He nodded. "But I went to your plays."

"You did?" Troy had gone to see her plays? How had she missed that? She hoped the utter shock wasn't evident on her face, because she was about to fall over in a stupor. Troy Richards had gone to see her plays. Suddenly, her high school experience was set on its head.

"You were really good in _Grease_."

"Thanks," she said, trying to act nonchalant about his admission. "I never saw you, though."

"I left right after the curtain closed." He leaned more heavily on the railing, tapping it with his fingers while he gazed out across the water. "I was embarrassed. I liked you, but didn't know what to do about it."

"Seems like you did. I mean, you had girlfriends in high school." _Like Juliana, for instance._

He stood straight. "Yeah, I guess I got caught up in all that."

"This is not what I expected." She'd dreamed about it and fantasized about it, but hadn't actually _expected_ it.

"I know. And maybe it's too late." A vulnerable expression crossed his face.

"I wouldn't say that." Were her dreams of being with Troy now actually within her grasp?

"Really?" His eyes were hopeful.

"I have a confession as well. I went to every basketball game just to see you. I really wanted you to ask me out."

A slow song started to play. Troy reached out his hand. "Let's go in and dance."

On the dance floor, Troy wrapped his arms around Brynn and they swayed to the music. In her wildest dreams she didn't think this night would truly ever happen.

They danced to the next few songs before taking a break and going back outside.

Under the dim light on the patio, Troy moved in close to her. She knew what was about to come next and braced herself for the display of fireworks. _This is it. What I've been waiting for_. The anticipation was about to kill her. He cupped her chin in his hand and slowly covered her lips with his. She waited for the reaction. For something. Anything. _Wait, where's the sizzle? The explosion?_ _The yearning and wanting?_

Troy pulled away and gazed at her. The kiss was _nice_ , but not the earth-shattering kiss she'd expected. That she wanted. That she'd created in her mind over and over again. It was... average.

Maybe it was because she'd built it up too much and her expectations were too high. She needed another kiss to be sure, so she leaned in and he kissed her again.

Still nothing. Her shoulders fell. _What is wrong? This is Troy. Troy! The one I've wanted to kiss for all these years and there's no magic._ _Not an ounce_. Maybe there was no such thing as what she'd imagined after all.

"I've been waiting to do that for a long time." He smiled at her, obviously unaware of the lackluster reaction she'd had. "Let's go back inside and dance."

As they were dancing, Brynn found herself once again searching the room for Craig. She wanted to tell him about what had happened with Troy. He'd been her sounding board all through school and now, she finally had something to share. Troy had kissed her. He'd literally kissed her. It wasn't as awesome as she'd hoped, but he'd kissed her.

"I'd like to get something to drink. Do you want anything?" Troy asked.

"No. I'm good."

Troy left, and in less than a minute, Kari was glued to her side. "Spill your guts."

Brynn recounted what had happened, but kept back her disappointment. She'd built up quite an expectation over the years and somehow, it didn't live up to any of it. It wasn't filled with fireworks. Not even a sparkler. She reasoned that it was probably because she was so nervous about it finally happening that she hadn't given it a fair shot. _That has to be it._

"Woo hoo. Aren't you so excited?" Kari grinned.

Brynn smiled back. "Yeah. Hey, have you seen Craig? He said he was coming tonight."

"I think I saw him over there." She pointed to an open door. "I guess he's gone now."

Troy returned.

"I'm going to find Connor. He'll wonder where I am." Kari said.

Before Troy and Brynn could start talking, Juliana rushed over. "Troy. You promised you'd dance with me tonight. Everyone has been asking about you. You didn't eat at our table."

"I ate with Brynn."

"Oh, that's nice." Juliana reached her hand out. "I'm sure she won't mind if we dance. Right?" She smiled one of her fake smiles at Brynn, but Brynn didn't care. It was a waste of time to care what Juliana did. Or thought.

"Sure. Go ahead." Brynn found it comical that Juliana still acted the part of the popular cheerleader intent on protecting her territory. If Juliana knew about the kissing, she'd flip out.

Juliana pulled on Troy. "Come on. You owe me some dances."

Troy looked at Brynn. "It's fine," she said. "I need some fresh air anyway." She needed time to process what was happening between her and Troy and why she'd had such a bland reaction to kissing him. Definitely not what she expected.

After Troy left with Juliana, Brynn made her way to the open doors. She walked out onto the terrace and found Craig with his back to her. She approached him. "Hey, where have you been?"

Craig turned around. "Here, there, everywhere." His tone was curt.

"That's an evasive answer. I was looking for you."

"Yeah? You seemed pretty busy." His expression was something. But what? Hurt? No, that couldn't be it.

"Oh." Brynn wanted to share what happened with Troy, but Craig's bitter attitude made her hold it back.

She touched him on the arm, but he stepped back from her, clearly upset.

"It may have been a long time since we've seen each other, but I can tell there's something going on. What is it?" she probed.

He gave her a look as if the answer was obvious.

"What?" Brynn didn't understand his behavior.

"You really don't know." He studied her.

"Know what?" she asked, hoping he would explain why he was acting the way he was.

Craig turned and looked at the ocean. She moved next to him, leaning on the railing and watching a couple walk along the shore, hand in hand. They stayed there for several moments.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" she prodded.

Craig stood and faced her. The music played in the background and the muted light fell across his face. His eyes locked onto hers and without warning, her heartbeat exploded. Craig reached up and ran his finger along her cheekbone, causing goose bumps to ripple down her neck and across her back. These goose bumps definitely weren't because she was cold. Why was she reacting like this? To Craig? He was her _friend._ Wasn't he?

She couldn't tear her gaze from his. He moved closer to her, his musky cologne inviting her to do the same. _Wait._ _What is happening?_ Her breath came in sudden bursts.

Brynn watched his lips as he closed the gap between them. She wanted to turn away, to stop the inevitable, but she couldn't, because she wanted him to kiss her. She yearned for it. In what seemed like slow motion, his warm, full lips found hers. An electric impulse started at her mouth and spread, unrestrained, through every part of her body. He pressed his lips harder against hers and deepened the kiss. She was sure he could feel her heart pounding against his chest as she melted into his embrace. Every nerve burned like a raging inferno while they stood there drinking in every bit of each other. It was as if nothing else existed, but the two of them, intertwined in each other's arms. She didn't want the kiss to end. Ever.

Craig stepped back, and Brynn struggled to find her breath. "What just happened?" she asked, trying to steady herself from a kiss that was far more than fireworks--it was a nuclear explosion.

"Exactly what I've wanted to do for years."

"You wanted to kiss me back in school?" Brynn placed her hands over her throbbing cheeks.

"Yes."

"But I thought--"

"We were friends. And I didn't want to risk losing that. But I wanted so much more. I still do. I still think about you. About us." His voice was firm, resolute.

"You do?" The revelation hit her hard.

"I know. I sound pathetic." Craig ran his fingers across his short hair. "I think that's why I've had such a hard time committing to other women. You've always been in the back of my mind. I--"

"There you are," Troy said as he walked out onto the terrace, interrupting them.

Brynn turned to him. "Oh. Hi. Yeah, Craig and I were... you remember Craig?"

Troy reached out and shook his hand. "Good to see you."

"Uh, I need to make a phone call. A business call." Craig pulled out his phone. "I'll catch you two later."

With that, he was gone.

"Let's go inside," Troy said, oblivious to the electricity flowing between Craig and Brynn. Electricity she didn't understand but ached to experience again.

In the ballroom, Troy talked, but Brynn was too distracted to do anything but nod. All she could think about was that kiss. With Craig. So totally unexpected. But also so beyond any kiss she'd ever imagined or experienced. With anyone.

Where did that leave them? Her? Troy? She'd been lovesick over Troy for so many years. Now he'd finally noticed her, and she had the opportunity to live out the fantasy she'd had since middle school. It was within her reach. But did she want it? Was it what she thought it would be?

Craig had been her friend. He'd seen her at her worst. He'd been there through all the ups and downs of her life. She'd had no idea he felt the way he did, but now, looking back, the signs were obvious. Brynn had simply missed them, because she'd been obsessed with Troy. Did she want to miss out on something amazing with Craig again?

The music slowed and Troy pulled Brynn close. They swayed back and forth and Troy whispered in her ear. "I'm so glad you're here with me."

Brynn looked out across the dance floor in enough time to see Craig turn and walk out the front doors. _What should I do?_

Suddenly, a hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her away from Troy. Shocked, she turned around and saw Juliana. "Enough is enough."

"What?"

"Troy isn't interested in you," Juliana screeched.

"Look, Juliana, I already told you--" Troy started.

"You want her? _Really?_ " Juliana said. "Why? She's a nobody. No one even remembers her."

"Juliana--"

"No, Troy. This is ridiculous. You belong with me. We should be together."

"Sounds like the two of you need some time to talk." Brynn backed away. She didn't care that Juliana had insulted her. She only wanted to find Craig, because that's what mattered to her, not the petty stuff from a lifetime ago in high school.

Brynn rushed across the dance floor and found Kari. "Have you seen Craig?"

"No. What's going on?"

"I've been an idiot. I've been so stupid all these years."

"What does that mean?" Kari's face was a mix of confusion and hope.

"I built Troy up to be this perfect guy. No one could ever measure up to the fantasy in my head. But the real deal was right in front of me. How could I be so blind?'

"Finally!" Kari clapped her hands. "Go find him. Don't walk, run!"

Brynn rushed through the front doors and looked desperately around the parking lot. She didn't see him. Her heart sank to her stomach.

She scanned the courtyard, but he wasn't there, either. He wasn't anywhere. _He probably already left. Serves me right for being so clueless_. She'd been so caught up in Troy. In a dream. A silly, stupid dream.

Her eyes filled with tears. Had she lost her chance with Craig?

"There you are. I've been looking all over for you."

Brynn wiped the tears from her eyes and turned around.

"Hi, Troy. I was getting some fresh air." She cleared her throat.

He moved closer to her and studied her. "I'm sorry about Juliana."

"No apology needed."

"She wants to rewind the clock. She's had a pretty hard life since we graduated."

Brynn nodded, but remained silent. What should she say to Troy? _Hey, I know I've been obsessed with you for years, but I finally realized tonight that the man I really want has been masquerading as my best friend._

"She wants to get back together, like we were in high school." He paused for a moment. "I'm not interested in going backward." He took a step toward her. "I want to go forward."

Brynn stared at him. _Say something_.

"With you." She'd wanted to hear Troy say this for so long. She'd ached for these words from him. But now it was too late. Someone else had her heart. Someone who'd been right in front of her.

Troy reached out for her hand, but she pulled it away. "I came here specifically to see you. I've loved you for so long." Brynn searched for the right words. "At least, I thought I did. I thought I wanted to be with you. This weekend has been a dream come true." She bit her lip. "But I've realized the dream I've had for so long, isn't really the one I want. I'm sorry, Troy."

Disappointment crept into his eyes. "What are you saying?"

"You are a great guy, but..."

"But I'm not _it_." His voice was quiet. And sad.

"I'm really sorry. I have to go."

Brynn turned to go back into the hotel to find Kari, when a figure on the beach, in the distance, caught her eye. Could it be Craig? Was it too much to hope that it was?

She kicked off her heels and hurried toward the shore, hoping it might be him. The closer she got, the more she hoped. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. _Please, let it be Craig_.

"Craig," she called out. He turned and she broke out into a full run toward him.

When she reached him, huffing and puffing, he said nothing.

"I thought you'd left," she said between breaths.

"I should have." His jaw was set.

"No. You shouldn't have." How could she express how she felt? How he made her feel? How she'd realized that he was the one she wanted?

He kept his hands in his pockets. "Where's Troy?"

"I don't know."

Craig studied her, his expression guarded.

"He said he wanted to be with me." She watched Craig hoping for an inkling that it wasn't too late. That she hadn't blown her chance with him.

Craig nodded, but didn't make a move toward her. "And?"

"I told him he wasn't the one for me."

"Go on." Craig kept his distance with his arms folded across his chest.

Eyes brimming with tears, Brynn said, "I don't know why I didn't see it. I don't know why I was so oblivious." She looked at him, trying to communicate the emotions churning inside her. "Do you want to help me out here?"

He simply watched her.

"Fine." She turned and started to walk away.

Craig grabbed her hand, setting off electric impulses that shot up to her shoulder. He whirled her around and pulled her to him in one swift move. Peering deeply into her eyes he said, "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she whispered, her heart rapping against her ribs.

He traced her jaw line with his fingers then slid them down her neck, leaving a trail of quivers in their wake. "Very sure?"

Brynn watched his lips, craving his kiss. "Yes," she said with conviction.

His hand moved behind her neck, bringing her face so close to his she could smell the peppermint on his breath as his mouth hovered over hers. Tenderly he laid his warm, full lips down. Her cheeks began to throb and her chest heaved with each breath. Every nerve in her body, from her scalp to the tips of her toes, ignited then tingled all at the same time, leaving her off balance as the kiss intensified. Yes, this is what she wanted to do over and over and over again.

"I don't know how we can make this work," she said, trying to catch her breath. "We live so far apart."

Craig cradled her head in his hands, his voice soft, but certain. "We'll find a way." He enveloped her in his arms and confidently kissed her, making all her worries melt away.

#

Craig and Brynn walked to his car, his arm around her shoulder. "What time is it?" she asked.

"No idea."

Brynn gave him a look. "I thought you could tell the time by the moon."

"Uh."

She pushed him away. "I knew it. You are such a cheater."

He laughed. "But you fell for it."

"Yes, yes I did." She glanced toward the hotel entrance. "I suppose the festivities are over."

"I suppose they are." He played with a strand of her hair. "Are you sorry you missed the rest of the dance?"

She felt a stab of guilt that she'd run out on Troy, especially after he'd sent her the flowers and admitted his feelings. But he would be okay. He was a good guy and could have his pick of women--just not her. She'd found what she came for. "Absolutely not."

"I have something for you," Craig said with a playful smile. He opened his car door and leaned inside. He brought out a baggie and placed it in her hand.

"Your mom's molasses cookies?"

Craig nodded. "There's more where those came from."

"What are you suggesting?"

He leaned his forehead against hers. "That you come to my parents' house and spend the day until your flight back to Houston."

"That's an offer I can't refuse."

"I may have another offer that's almost as good as my mom's cookies."

"Oh yeah?"

"Me." He pulled her in for a long, deep kiss that made her toes curl until they cramped.

"That's an offer I'm definitely _not_ going to refuse." 

#

Brynn sprawled out on the couch in her living room, the air conditioner softly humming overhead. Even though it was autumn in Houston, the weather was still hot--something she hadn't grown used to yet.

She laid her head back. It had been a long day at work, and she was exhausted. All she wanted to do was crawl into her bed and sleep until next week, but Craig would be calling soon and she didn't want to miss her chance to talk to him. Their nightly phone calls had kept her going for the last two months.

_Two months_. _Feels more like two years_. But that was about to change.

She lifted her head and eyed her suitcase in the corner of the room. In a few days, she'd surprise Craig in San Diego. It was more than a pleasure trip--she was going to interview with a company there. Brynn loved her job at ConocoPhillips, and she was good at it, but she'd left her heart back in California with Craig. She couldn't bear the idea of being separated from him anymore, and she was willing to risk it all to be with him. She hoped he felt the same way.

The doorbell rang.

She stared at the door. _Probably Mrs. Swanson looking for her poodle again._ That dog was lost more than he was ever found.

_Ding, dong. Ding, dong. Ding, dong._

_Definitely Mrs. Swanson._

Brynn swung the door open expecting to see her petite, silver-haired neighbor. Instead, her heart went into spasms and she screamed, "What are you doing here?"

Craig stood there, a smile swiped across his handsome face.

Brynn jumped into his arms, inhaling his musky scent and feeling his warm cheek next to hers.

"You're here," she said as she pulled away. "I can't believe it. I'm so happy to see you." Grasping his hand, she tugged him inside her condo. "You are so sneaky."

"That I am," he said with a satisfied expression.

They sat on the couch. Brynn couldn't believe Craig was in Houston. In her condo. She wanted to jump up and down with excitement, but kept herself under control.

Craig settled into the overstuffed sofa and cleared his throat. "I wanted to talk about us. About our relationship." He wore a serious expression.

"Okay." Her stomach dropped and panic enveloped her. _Oh, no!_ _Is Craig going to break up with me?_

He drew in a deep breath and Brynn braced herself for what would come next. "This long distance relationship isn't working for me."

Brynn bit her bottom lip to keep it from quivering. _He's breaking it off_. She willed herself not to start bawling on the spot.

After a few of the longest moments she'd ever experienced, Craig said, "I have a confession."

"You do?" _Here it comes_. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.

"I've been exchanging emails with someone."

_I knew it. It was too good to be true. He wants someone else._

"And I'm here to interview."

_How could I have been so foolish to fall so fast? I could kick myself. Why, why, why?_

Craig peered at her. "Did you hear what I said?"

She rewound his words then stared at him. "Wait. What?"

"I'm here to interview at Simon, Stuart, and Littlefield."

"You're what?" _He's interviewing? He's not breaking up with me?_

"Brynn, are you okay?" His eyebrows pulled together.

"Yeah." Had she heard him right? He wasn't here to call it off.

"The interview is merely a formality. I'm going to be signing papers and moving here to Houston." He placed his hand on hers, sending a shiver down her back. "To be with you."

"With me?" _Craig is moving to Houston? But I have my interview in California in a few days._

"Yes. I can't take this long distance anymore. All I do is think about you and about us being together."

"About us being together?"

"Are you going to keep repeating what I say?"

She shook her head.

"I'm willing to risk it all for you. For us. I think we have something amazing together and I'm not going to let it go."

She pointed to her suitcase. Craig gave her a puzzled look.

"I have an interview in San Diego," she said brightly.

Craig blinked a few times as he looked between the suitcase and Brynn. "You have an interview?"

"I'm willing to risk it all, too." She'd never been so sure of anything.

He smiled. "We'll work it out. As long as we're together."

Nervous energy fell out of her mouth in a laugh.

"What?"

She covered her eyes for a moment. "I thought you were going to break up with me."

"Are you serious? Why would I break it off with my soulmate?"

Her breath caught in her throat. "Your soulmate?"

He brushed his fingers across her cheek, releasing a thousand butterflies in her stomach. "Yeah. I'm in love with you."

She threw her arms around his neck and settled into a kiss that made every inch of her feel alive. A kiss that even the best romance novels couldn't describe. A kiss that meant they belonged together, and they'd spend the rest of their lives making up for lost time.

This reunion was going to last a lifetime.

#

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GROUNDED FOR LOVE: A REUNION ROMANCE NOVELLA

After being burned by her college boyfriend, Graham, book editor Serena Johnson believes the only dependable men are the ones found between the pages of a book. Her life in San Francisco is thrown into chaos when her father suffers a heart attack, and she books a flight to her small hometown in Colorado.

Graham McAllister, now a civil engineer in Phoenix, is dating a woman who has it all--except his heart. As the best man for his brother's wedding, Graham must fly back to Grand Junction in time for all the festivities.

When a massive snowstorm grounds all the planes in Denver, both Serena and Graham are stranded overnight. Will this storm lead to love or will it simply prove that there are no second chances?

IMPERFECT LOVE

Lauren Wilson is well on her way to her happily-ever-after. She's passionate about her career as a middle school English teacher, she adores her handsome, hard-working husband, and with a baby finally on the way, her perfect life is within her grasp.

But then a devastating test result changes everything.

Forced to choose between her baby and her husband, Lauren makes the only decision she can live with, and she returns to her small hometown in hopes of rebuilding her shattered life.

Ethan Campbell is a gifted photographer who travels the world and has no desire to settle down. When his mother dies, he must go home to settle her estate. Then it's back to exciting adventures across the globe.

When Lauren crosses paths with Ethan, her teenage crush, old feelings resurface--feelings she's not prepared to face. Will Lauren have the courage to trust again or will she spend her life alone?

_Imperfect Love_ is a story about sacrifice, healing, second chances, and discovering that although love isn't always perfect, sometimes it's the imperfect love that's the sweetest of all.

ADDING CHRISTMAS

For advertising executive Chloe Henderson, Christmas is a stark reminder of heartache and loss, so she avoids it every year and focuses all her energy on her career. With the promise of a promotion, Chloe is more determined than ever to work her way up the ladder.

Mitch Powell thought he had it all until his fiancée walked out. Since then, he's embraced his bachelor lifestyle and lived it up. When his father asks him to take over the family business, he reluctantly agrees, as long as he can make some changes. First up: a new advertising campaign.

Chloe meets Mitch, a lover of all things Christmas, when she's assigned his account. The attraction is strong and immediate, but she refuses to mix business with pleasure and put her job in jeopardy. Can she set aside her personal feelings and come up with a winning campaign to earn her well-deserved promotion, or will she risk it all for a chance at love?

When Hailey Baker receives the call that her beloved Gramps has suffered a debilitating stroke that's left him unable to speak, she's determined to help. Putting her accounting career at risk, she seizes the opportunity to leave her recent heartbreak and addiction to Netflix behind in Colorado.

She flies across country to Florida only to discover her grandmother is neck-deep in matchmaking schemes for the retirement community, and Gran's next victim is Hailey.

Peter Stafford loves his job working with senior citizens. Sworn to bachelorhood after his divorce, Peter's focus is to open his own speech therapy practice.

Once Gran meets Peter, she shifts into full matchmaking mode and neither Hailey nor Peter stand a chance.

Will Hailey risk her heart again?

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Many people helped me with this novella and I'm so thankful. I'd like to especially thank Rachael Anderson for her invaluable advice and encouragement.

I'd also like to thank the members of Indie Author Hub for answering questions and for much-needed support.

Most of all, I want to thank my amazing husband, Del, for his never-ending support, love, and encouragement. He is always there for me and continually lifts me up. Thank you to my kids who are always kind and supportive and who think I'm the "best author ever." I have a wonderful family and I am very grateful for each one of them.

Thank you to my readers! Without you, I'd have no reason to write these stories.

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Rebecca Talley is the mother of ten wildly-creative and multi-talented children and the grandmother of the world's most adorable little girls. Rebecca lives with her family and her husband, Del, in Houston, TX, where she tries to avoid the heat and humidity by living in the pool.

She is the author of a children's picture book, a chapter book, a writing resource guide, five novels, and numerous children's stories and articles. When she isn't writing, Rebecca likes to date her husband, play with her kids, swim in the ocean, knit, and dance to disco music while she cleans the house. She is currently seeking a cure for her addiction to peanut M&Ms.

You can find Rebecca online and join her Reader News at:

<http://www.rebeccatalley.com>

<http://www.rebeccatalleywrites.blogspot.com>
