She Begged for Me Back After I Left novel · Chapter 19 of 24

Chapter 19: Alana in the Garden

I took the coffee and sat down on the bench beside her.

It was too sweet, the way she always made it.

For a while neither of us said anything.

Dew dripped off the rose canes onto the gravel.

"I saw her go in," Alana said. "Around two. I couldn't sleep, so I was walking, and I saw her bare feet on the path."

"I'm sorry. I should have told you."

"No. Don't be sorry." She laughed, and it came out wobbly. "I'm so stupid, Nolan. I sat out here for three hours. I was going to be happy for you when you came out, and instead I've been rehearsing it."

"You don't have to."

"Let me." She turned on the bench and faced me, with her knees pulled up inside the yellow coat. "I have to say it once, out loud, so I can stop thinking it."

I put the cup down.

"I'm in love with you."

She said it fast and plain.

"I think I have been since the winter you taught me to drive the harbor road in the snow. You never raised your voice at me once. Camille would have pulled the key out of the ignition."

"Alana."

"I didn't know it until you were gone." She wiped her face with the heel of her hand. "You went out of that gala, and the house went quiet, and I understood I'd been coming to your post every day just to stand next to you."

The panel in my eye lit up.

D 5.2.

It kept climbing, and it was warm and steady and entirely hers.

"I'm not asking you for anything," she said. "I know it's her. I've always known it's her, and I could see it, and it still didn't stop me. I only wanted you to know that somebody here loved you before you gave it all away."

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