ONCE MORE, WITH YOU

XX

Solené Beckett

"So, she kissed you? And then you kissed her?" Spencer asked, perched on the edge of my bed, a granola bar halfway to her mouth.

"Yes," I said, dragging out the word. "And stop shedding crumbs on my bed." I gave her a pointed look as I tossed another sweater onto the pile I was unpacking from my suitcase.

Spencer ignored me, her eyes glinting with curiosity. "And...?"

"And what?" I said, pretending to focus on folding my clothes instead of the weight of her gaze.

She sighed dramatically. "And why haven't you asked her out yet? You two basically wrote the book on epic relationships."

I froze for a second, clutching a shirt. "It's not that simple."

"Oh, please." Spencer leaned back, waving the granola bar like a pointer. "You were together for four years, Sol. Everyone knew you were endgame—until you decided to pack up and leave for that job. Now you're back, she kissed you, you kissed her, there's been flirting, hanging out, and you're still dragging your feet?"

"It's complicated, Spence," I muttered, dropping the shirt into the growing pile. "We've been through a lot. What if she's not ready? What if I've hurt her too much?"

Spencer arched a brow. "She kissed you, didn't she?"

"Yeah, but—"

"No 'but.' If Summer wasn't ready, she wouldn't have kissed you."

I sat on the edge of the bed, running a hand through my hair. "What if it doesn't work? What if I came back thinking we could fix things, and it just... falls apart again?" My voice was quieter now, the weight of the past pressing down on me.

Spencer softened, tossing the granola wrapper into the trash. "You're scared. I get it. But staying in limbo won't change anything. You have to take the chance."

Before I could answer, my phone buzzed on the nightstand. I glanced at it, my heart jumping when I saw her name light up the screen: Summer.

Spencer leaned forward, grinning. "Speak of the devil. She probably wants to see you. Pick up!"

I hesitated, my thumb hovering over the screen. "What if—"

"Nope," Spencer cut in, grabbing the phone and shoving it into my hand. "No what-ifs. Answer it!"

I took a deep breath and slid my thumb across the screen. "Hey, Summer," I said, my voice steady despite the pounding in my chest.

"Hey, Sol," she said, her voice as familiar as a favorite song. "I was just thinking... want to grab coffee later? There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."

I hesitated for just a beat, then smiled. "Yeah, I'd like that."

"Great. Three o'clock?"

"Three sounds perfect."

As the call ended, I set the phone down and glanced at Spencer, who was smirking like she'd already planned my wedding.

"She's going to kiss you again. Bet on it," she teased.

"Shut up," I muttered, but I couldn't stop the warmth spreading through me.

*

The café was quieter than usual for a Saturday afternoon, the faint hum of conversation blending with the hiss of the espresso machine. I spotted Summer near the window, sitting at a corner table with her coffee cup cradled between her hands. She looked relaxed, the sunlight catching in her auburn hair and making it glow.