One Winter Weekend

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

T hey stood looking at each other for a long moment, neither sure of what they should say next.

Then they both started speaking at once. “What are you doing here?” she blurted out, even as he started to say, “I was hoping I’d catch you…”

Embarrassed, they both stopped. “You go first.”

“No, you go ahead,” she said quickly, and he shuffled his feet in the snow.

“Maybe we could go somewhere warmer to talk? There are a few places around the piazza open late.”

“What are you doing here Dominic?” she demanded, remembering her original question.

In answer, he took a key out of his pocket. “I was hoping to persuade you to not use this.”

She stared at his key for a moment, then took her hand out of her own coat pocket and opened it to reveal a matching key. They stood silently, looking at each other and at the tiny keys that had once meant so much.

Lucy closed her hand and thrust the key back into her pocket. “Why are you here?” she repeated defiantly. “You broke up with me, remember?”

“I do. But I made a mistake.”

“And now what? You fly halfway around the world to stop me from unlocking our old padlock?”

“That sort of thing usually works in the movies,” Dominic said, looking desperate. She snorted, and he burst out suddenly, “Look, the real reason I flew here was that I was too stubborn to call you and admit I made a mistake. I thought you’d laugh or hang up on me, and I hoped eventually you’d be the one to call, and then I wouldn’t have to hurt my stupid pride by begging you to take me back. But obviously, that didn’t work, and when I found out you were coming here—well, I knew what you were planning, or thought I did, and I hoped I would catch you in time to stop you. And to tell you that I still love you, and I want to give us a second chance.”

She stared at him for a moment. “I almost called you,” she said finally. “I’ve missed you. I thought unlocking the padlock was the best way to let go of our past together and move on.”

“I don’t want to let go of our past,” Dominic said, moving closer to her.

There was just enough moonlight peeking out of the clouds to show the blue of his eyes and the gleam of his hair. He took Lucy’s hands in his own and drew her close. “I made the biggest mistake of my life when I let you go. But I want you back if you’ll have me. I think we can give that promise a second chance.”

Her heart soaring, Lucy looked down at the padlock on the bridge, and then up at Dominic. Around them, the snow had started again, softly.

“I think so too,” she whispered, leaning into him. His lips brushed hers, and for a moment she forgot all about the cold.

Only for a moment, though.

“I think you’re right,” she said, leaning back from him. “We should definitely go somewhere warmer to talk about this. Preferably somewhere serving hot chocolate.”

“I know just the place.” Dominic tucked his arm through hers and pulled her closer as they walked slowly over the bridge, their bridge.

She leaned in to him and as the snow fell, touched the key in her pocket once more.

I think I’ll hang on to this, she thought, but not to unlock the padlock.

I’m going to tuck it away somewhere to remind me that even when it seems impossible, miracles can still happen.