Chapter nine

I told myself I wouldn't think about him.

That I wouldn't let the weight of his words settle into my chest, making me question everything I had worked so hard to move past.

But as I sat at the long, elegantly decorated table at Andrew and Emma's rehearsal dinner, pretending to listen to the conversation around me, I could feel Lucas's presence like a gravitational pull.

He was seated two tables away, laughing at something one of the groomsmen said, looking completely unaffected.

I, on the other hand, was barely keeping it together.

"You okay?"

I blinked, dragging my gaze away from Lucas to find Emma watching me curiously.

I forced a smile. "Yeah. Just tired."

Emma narrowed her eyes slightly, then followed my line of sight. Her lips curved knowingly. "Ah."

I sighed. "Don't."

She grinned. "Don't what?"

"Don't read into things that aren't there."

Emma leaned closer. "Claire, you've been stealing glances at him all night. And he's been doing the same thing."

I stiffened. "No, he hasn't."

Emma snorted. "You're right. He just happens to look over every time you do."

I opened my mouth to argue, but before I could, someone clinked a spoon against their glass, silencing the chatter in the room.

Andrew stood, smiling broadly. "First of all, Emma and I just want to thank you all for being here. It means the world to us to have our closest friends and family together before the big day."

A chorus of cheers and applause filled the room.

Andrew grinned. "Now, since we'll be exchanging vows tomorrow, we thought tonight should be more relaxed-so we're kicking things off with a little game."

Groans and laughter rippled through the guests.

Emma squeezed my arm excitedly. "I love games!"

Andrew smirked. "Good, because this one requires audience participation. We're going to play Unfinished Business."

A murmur of curiosity spread through the guests.

Andrew continued, "Basically, if you have any unresolved issues-whether it's a grudge, a confession, anything-now's your chance to air it out. Publicly."

Laughter erupted, but my stomach clenched.

"Oh my God, this is brilliant," Emma whispered.

I, however, was already mentally mapping out my escape route.

Andrew grinned mischievously. "To make things even more interesting, names will be drawn at random."

I shot Emma a panicked look, but she just grinned, clearly thrilled by the chaos about to unfold.

Andrew reached into a glass bowl. "Alright, let's see..."

He pulled out a slip of paper and read it aloud.

"Claire."

My heart stopped.

The room erupted in laughter and applause as every pair of eyes turned to me.

Emma squealed beside me. "This is amazing."

I wanted to die.

Andrew chuckled. "Alright, isla, you get to call someone out. Any unfinished business?"

I could say no. I should say no.

But before I could process what I was doing, my gaze locked onto Lucas.

And to my horror, words left my mouth before I could stop them.

"Yeah." I swallowed hard. "I do."

A hush fell over the room.

Lucas's easy smile faded as our eyes met.

Andrew grinned. "And who's the lucky person?"

The air was thick with anticipation.

I took a steadying breath, then said the one name that had haunted me for years.

"Lucas."

A ripple of murmurs spread through the guests. Someone whistled.

Lucas raised an eyebrow, but something unreadable flickered in his eyes. "Guess I should've seen that coming."

Laughter rang out, but I barely heard it over the sound of my own pulse pounding in my ears.

Andrew clapped his hands. "Alright, let's hear it."

I hesitated, suddenly hyperaware of the fact that I was about to air out my very complicated past with Lucas in front of an audience.

But it was too late now.

I inhaled deeply and looked him right in the eyes.

"Why did you really leave?"

The room went dead silent.

Lucas held my gaze, something flickering in his expression. For a moment, I thought he wouldn't answer.

Then, slowly, he stood.

And I knew, without a doubt, that this was about to change everything.

A tense silence blanketed the room as every pair of eyes flickered between Lucas and me, waiting for his answer.

Lucas's jaw tightened, his fingers curling slightly at his sides.

I held my breath.

Then, just as he parted his lips to speak, he exhaled sharply and gave a small shake of his head. "Not here."

A wave of disappointed murmurs rippled through the guests.

Andrew chuckled. "Well, that was anticlimactic."

Someone else called out, "Come on, Lucas! Give us the drama!"

Laughter erupted, but my pulse hammered in my ears. Lucas's gaze was locked onto mine, his meaning clear.

This conversation isn't over.

I swallowed hard, forcing a tight-lipped smile. "Guess that means unfinished business stays unfinished."

Andrew grinned. "Well, there's still time before the wedding. Maybe it'll be finished by then."

More laughter. More teasing. I barely heard any of it.

Because all I could focus on was Lucas.

And the way he was looking at me like I had just forced open a door neither of us were ready to walk through.

-

I managed to get through the rest of the dinner without making eye contact with Lucas again. But the moment I stepped outside to get some air, I knew I wouldn't be alone for long.

Sure enough, footsteps sounded behind me.

I didn't turn. "That was quite the performance."

Lucas exhaled, stepping beside me. "You put me on the spot."

"You could've answered."

He let out a humorless chuckle. "Right. In front of an audience?"

I glanced at him. "Would it have changed anything?"

Lucas hesitated, then sighed. "No."

Silence stretched between us, filled only by the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore.

Finally, he ran a hand through his hair. "You really want to know why I left?"

I crossed my arms, bracing myself. "Yes."

His gaze darkened. "It wasn't just my father's threats, Claire."

My stomach tightened. "What do you mean?"

Lucas turned toward me fully, his expression serious. "He wasn't bluffing. I knew what he was capable of, and I knew he'd do everything in his power to ruin you if I stayed."

I swallowed hard. "And you didn't think I had the right to know that?"

His jaw clenched. "I was trying to protect you."

I shook my head, frustration bubbling up. "That's not your choice to make."

"I know." His voice was rough, raw. "But I was nineteen, Claire. Scared. Stupid. And when he gave me an ultimatum-leave or watch him destroy everything you loved-I did the only thing I thought I could."

My chest ached. "And you never thought to come back? To fight?"

Lucas's throat bobbed. "I almost did."

I blinked. "What?"

He exhaled. "I tried. A year after I left, I came back."

My heart stopped.

No. That wasn't possible.

"I went to your house," Lucas continued, his voice quieter now. "But you weren't there. Your parents said you had moved. They wouldn't tell me where."

I inhaled sharply. "They never told me you came back."

Lucas's lips pressed into a thin line. "I figured."

My mind spun.

All these years, I had convinced myself that he had never looked back. That he had moved on easily while I had spent years trying to pick up the pieces.

But he had come back.

He had tried.

I didn't know whether that made it better or worse.

I turned away, pressing a hand to my forehead. "This is too much, Lucas."

He was quiet for a long moment.

Then, softly, "I know."

I closed my eyes, exhaling shakily. "What do you want from me?"

Lucas was quiet for so long that I thought he might not answer.

Then, barely above a whisper, he said, "A second chance."

I sucked in a breath, my heart pounding.

Because the scariest part of all?

I wasn't sure I could say no.