Page 106 of Never Not Friends

“Emma,” I breathe, inching a fraction closer.

Her eyes open, and she looks at me again.

Like, really looks at me.

And for the first time in years, I see everything clearly. The shared missteps in our history. The immature miscommunication born from our youth. Not saying how we felt because we thought we were protecting ourselves from the pain.

It’s all to blame for how we ended up here.

Longing for things to be different.

My eyes softly travel across her familiar face. I study each recognizable feature. Her ocean eyes. Fire-red hair. Prominent cheekbones. The one freckle on the side of her nose that’s a fraction darker than the rest. The line of her jaw. Then, my gaze drifts to her lips, and something powerful awakens inside me.

Yearning.

Desire.

A temptation to pull her to me.

Sudden and powerful.

My eyes flick to hers as my chest rises.

Years of history and what-ifs build between us, pounding in each beat of my heart. My fingers slowly move from cupping her cheek to her neck, tangling in the back of her hair.

“Vinny.” She says my name on a whisper, like a plea, or maybe it’s a warning.

I step closer, the toe of my shoe bumping hers.

“Don’t.” Her head shakes as another tear falls. “We can’t. Juliet⁠—”

“I know,” I sigh in anguish.

I KNOW.

Still, I can’t seem to drop my arm.

Pull away.

Leave her.

But Emma finds the strength.

She takes a giant step back, forcing my hand to drop.

I know it’s what had to happen.

The only thing that could happen.

I should feel relieved.

Instead, I feel like she’s rejected me all over again.

Her shoulders pull back resolutely. “You’re marrying Juliet.”

I nod, over and over, as if I’m trying to convince myself of my reality.

“I’m marrying Juliet.” The words come out without nearly as much conviction as they should.