Between Then and Now (Hallow’s End #1)

27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

A S THE DOOR SWUNG OPEN, I was struck by the sight before me, my breath catching in my throat. Sebastian stood there, a figure pulled straight from the depths of a storm, his once-pristine clothes now drenched and clinging to his sculpted body, outlining every hard line of muscle beneath the soaked fabric. His dark blonde hair, usually impeccably styled, was plastered to his forehead, rainwater dripping down in slow, deliberate streams that traced the sharp angles of his face. His chiselled jaw was clenched, the droplets pooling at his chin before cascading down his neck, where they disappeared beneath the collar of his shirt.

The storm behind him was relentless, forming a ferocious backdrop to his unexpected appearance. Lightning streaked across the sky, its blinding flash briefly illuminating the scene, casting Sebastian in a stark, almost otherworldly light, and the thunder that followed rumbled deep and low, as if the very heavens were protesting his arrival. Shadows danced across his face, highlighting the intense expression that darkened his features—something between determination and desperation.

His chest rose and fell with each breath, the soaked fabric of his shirt clinging to him, nearly translucent from the rain. Those emerald eyes, vivid and striking even in the dim light, locked onto mine with a gaze that seemed to hold the storm itself within them.

“Vinnie,” he said, his voice low and almost drowned out by the howling wind. There was something unsettling in the way he looked at me.

Shock and confusion battled within me. “Sebastian?” I finally managed to ask, the words coming out as more of a breathless whisper. “What are you doing here? How did you even find me?”

He shrugged, his expression somewhere between a smirk and something more serious. “It wasn’t hard. Everyone’s so friendly in this town. Like we’re all old friends. They’re more than willing to give away information, especially when they think they’re helping someone.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, my mind racing to process his sudden appearance. I remained rooted to the spot, still standing in the doorway, blocking his entrance as the rain continued to pour down.

“What do you want, Sebastian?” I asked, my voice stronger now, but my hand still gripping the door, not letting him in. I glanced around awkwardly, trying to gather my thoughts, but everything felt off-kilter with him standing there, soaking wet and out of place in this small town.

He sighed, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. The vulnerability in his eyes was stark, and a sharp contrast to the confident, composed man I once knew. “Vinnie, I just wanted to talk,” he said, his voice rough around the edges, like he was holding back more than he was willing to let on.

He stepped closer, “I was at the hotel, sitting there in that empty room, and I couldn’t stop thinking about you. About us. After today . . . after seeing you again, hearing your voice—it stirred up everything I thought I’d buried. I know I don’t have the right to just show up like this, but I couldn’t sit there with all these thoughts running through my head. I had to see you. I had to try to make sense of it all.”

His gaze dropped to the ground for a moment, a flash of uncertainty crossing his features. When he looked back up, those emerald eyes were filled with a desperate, almost pleading intensity. “I keep replaying everything in my mind—the way things ended, how it all went so wrong. And being here, in this town, knowing you’ve built this whole new life without me . . . I can’t help but feel like I need to at least try to make things right. Even if it’s just for a moment, I need to know if there’s any part of you that still feels what I feel.”

Another flash of lightning illuminated the sky, casting his face in a harsh light that made the raw emotion in his expression even more pronounced. “I know you’ve moved on, and maybe I’m a fool for thinking we can talk this out, but I couldn’t just leave it like this. Not without trying.”

Another flash of lightning split the sky, followed by a thunderclap so loud it made me jump. Sebastian flinched, too, and when his eyes met mine, he looked almost desperate. “Can I come in? Just for a bit?”

I stood there, torn between the urge to protect myself, and the nagging sense of responsibility that came from years of knowing him. Every instinct screamed at me to keep the door shut, to send him back out into the storm where he belonged—far from me, far from the life I was trying so hard to build without him.

I glanced past him into the darkness, half expecting to see his car, but there was nothing—just the pitch-black night and the unforgiving weather. He’d have to wait for a taxi, probably for a long time in this downpour, and the thought of him standing out there, soaked to the bone, gnawed at my conscience .

My grip on the door tightened and, for a moment, I truly considered sending him away. But as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Not with the way he looked at me, like he was searching for some kind of redemption, some chance to make things right. Despite everything, there was still a flicker of compassion in me. A whisper that reminded me of the good times, the history we shared, and the fact that, once upon a time, I’d loved this man.

Reluctantly, I took a step back, my heart heavy with the decision I was making. The door creaked as I opened it wider, the warmth from the house spilling out into the cold night. “Come in,” I said softly, the words tasting bitter on my tongue.

As he crossed the threshold, I caught the unmistakable scent of alcohol on him, the sharp, bitter smell mingling with the rain and my heart sank, a heavy weight settling in my chest. I knew then that I was going to regret this—letting him in, letting him close again, even if just for a moment.

He glanced around the room, taking in the space that had become my sanctuary, his presence a stark contrast to the warmth I usually felt here. “It’s nice,” he said. “Very . . . you.”

I closed the door behind him, my grip tightening on the doorknob as I fought the urge to tell him to leave, to undo this mistake before it could escalate. But the storm outside roared on, and here I was, caught between the echoes of a past I thought I’d left behind, and the fragile reality of my present. The line between then and now blurred, leaving me standing in the middle, uncertain of which way to turn, uncertain of what came next.

I forced a smile as I gestured toward the hallway. “The bathroom’s just down there,” I said, trying to keep my tone neutral. “I don’t have any dry clothes for you, but I can dig up your old shirt and maybe some gym shorts. They’re probably still around somewhere. ”

As soon as the words left my mouth, I winced. I hadn’t thought it through—mentioning that I still had some of his clothes lying around. It could be taken the wrong way, like I’d been holding on to them for sentimental reasons, which couldn’t be further from the truth. I just hadn’t bothered to toss them out yet.

Sebastian turned back to me, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips. “Thanks, V,” he said, his voice warm, almost teasing. The way he looked at me sent a shiver down my spine, but not in the way it once might have. I nodded stiffly, turning away before he could see the conflict in my eyes.

With the power still out, the cottage was plunged into near darkness, save for the occasional flash of lightning that illuminated the room in sharp, fleeting bursts. I flicked on my phone’s torch, the narrow beam of light cutting through the gloom. The fire was still out, and a chill was starting to seep into the room, so I made a mental note to get it going as soon as possible, maybe light a few candles to bring some warmth and comfort back into the space.

But first, I needed to find something for Sebastian to wear. I made my way to the bedroom, the torchlight casting long, eerie shadows on the walls, and busied myself rummaging through the back of my closet. I found his old dress shirt, shoved behind a stack of forgotten clothes, now more of a paint-splattered relic than anything worth keeping, and the gym shorts were stuffed even further back, still soft from countless washes, but now devoid of any meaning.

Clutching the clothes, I approached the bathroom door, expecting him to crack it open just enough to take them. But instead, when I knocked lightly and called out, “I’ve got your clothes,” the door swung open wide.

Sebastian stood there, completely unabashed, his body on full display. The hours he spent in the gym were evident in his sculpted abs, with each muscle defined and glistening under the bathroom light. His chest was broad and firm, tapering down to a lean waist that showcased the perfect V of his hips. As he reached for the clothes, his biceps, thick and powerful, flexed slightly.

Every inch of him was chiselled and perfect, like a sculpture crafted with the utmost precision. His skin, slightly tanned, glistened with droplets of water that trailed down his body, accentuating the contours of his muscles.

But, as I took in the sight of him, there was no reaction within me as there once was. No stirring of desire or longing. Where once the sight of his body might have left me breathless, now, it left me cold. It was as though I was looking at a stranger. Someone that once made my heart race now instead filled me with a hollow emptiness.

There was no spark. No heat. Just a profound realization that the connection we once had was truly gone. Sebastian’s perfect exterior meant nothing to me now. It was just a hollow shell that no longer had any hold on me.

His emerald eyes glinted with something that bordered on mischief, and I realized too late that he was testing me, pushing boundaries like he always did. “Thanks for this,” he said, his voice dropping into that familiar, seductive tone he’d used so many times before. He stepped closer, his hand brushing against mine as he reached for the clothes. “You know, we could—”

“Don’t,” I cut him off, the word coming out sharper than I intended. I dropped the clothes into his outstretched hand and slammed the door shut before he could say anything else. My heart pounded, not with desire, but with frustration—at him, at myself, at the whole situation.

I stormed back into the living room, my footsteps echoing in the quiet space. I couldn’t believe I had let this happen, that I had allowed Sebastian to unsettle the peace I had fought so hard to achieve.

Determined to regain control, I knelt down in front of the hearth and began to rebuild the fire. My hands shook slightly as I placed fresh logs on the embers, but my resolve was stronger. As I reached for a match, something caught my eye—a small piece of paper, half-buried in the ashes. It was charred around the edges, but the words were still visible, standing out in bold letters: MOVE ON.

I froze, staring at the words. It was a fragment of the picture I had burned earlier. The one I thought had been completely consumed by the flames. The message was so simple, so clear, yet it felt like a revelation. If Ivy were here, she’d be making some grand speech about the magic of Hallow’s End, about how the town had a way of guiding people toward the paths they were meant to take. For a moment, I just sat there, the words echoing in my mind.

MOVE ON.

A small laugh escaped my lips, but the amusement quickly gave way to a feeling of acceptance. Maybe there was some truth to the legend of this town. Maybe it really did have its own kind of magic. Or maybe it was just a coincidence. Either way, it didn’t matter.

With a steady hand, I struck the match, and watched as the flames took hold, licking at the edges of the paper, letting the fire consume it until nothing was left but ash. The fire roared to life, casting a warm, comforting glow across the room and, for the first time that night, I felt a sense of clarity. I was ready to let go of the lingering doubts, and the fears that had been holding me back. It was time to move on.

As the fire crackled and roared to life, I felt a newfound determination settle over me. The warmth from the flames chased away the cold that had seeped into my bones. I was in control. The past belonged in the ashes, and that’s where I intended to leave it.