Finally My Forever by Brooke St. James

know any of these people."
    "I met her when I was getting my food," I said. "Thomas said she wanted to kiss you."
    Micah busted out laughing. We were approaching the small, rustic building labeled Cider Mill when I said that, and Micah stopped walking and looked at me. "Thomas said that?" he asked, grinning.
    I nodded.
    "To her face?"
    I nodded again. "And she didn't necessarily deny it," I said, shrugging and smiling, "so it seems you have a willing participant if you're ever in the mood."
    "It might be a while," he said, his grin shifted and was now tinged with regret.
    "Why's that?" I asked. "Not that I'm urging you to change your mind or anything—at least not where she's concerned."
    There was a twinkle in his eye for a split second as he wondered what I meant by that exactly, but that sad smile made its way back to his face. He gestured to the scar on his face. "This isn't the only scar I had from that accident."
    My eyes instantly scanned his body, which was completely covered with clothes. "There's a big one on my leg, and another one on my arm too, but physical scars aren't what I’m referring to."
    "Oh," I said, understanding. I didn't know what else to say. I didn't want to prod him if he wasn't comfortable continuing.
    He slowly walked to an out of the way spot on the side of the cider mill as if he wasn't quite ready to go in yet, and I followed him. I was just about to change the subject when he began speaking again. His face was solemn, and I knew that he was deeply affected by whatever was about to come out of his mouth.
    "I was driving and my girlfriend was in the passenger's seat," he said. "We were going through an intersection at fifty miles an hour when we got hit." He leaned against the cider mill and regarded me with that same melancholy smile. "She was killed in that accident."
    The air left my lungs in a sympathetic sigh and I put my face in my hand. "I'm really sorry," I whispered.
    He pulled my hand down gently, making me glance at him. "I didn't mean to make you feel bad," he said, with a slightly bigger smile. "I just figured I'd tell you since you'd probably hear about it anyway. It was sort of a pivotal point in my life. It brought about a lot of changes."
    "I guess so," I said. "Is that what made you move back to San Antonio?"
    He nodded. "I lived in Austin after I graduated college. I had a good job there, and it was close enough that I visited regularly." He stared off into space for a few seconds even though I was standing right in front of him. "Anyway, I reevaluated after that and ended up coming home."
    "Was it that girl I met at the bar that night?"
    I asked. I could tell the question took him by surprise because he flinched slightly but answered without hesitation. "No, It wasn't her," he said, shaking his head. "We'd broken up by then."
    I watched as he went inward for a few painful seconds.
    "Her name was Natalie."
    "I'm really sorry," I repeated.
    "It's okay," he assured me. "It's been over a year since it happened, and I know time will continue to heal. It's just hard to get a scene like that out of your head, especially at first." He smiled and shrugged as if feeling bad to have burdened me.
    I put my hand on his arm and looked into his eyes, searching them and letting him search mine. "I'm not just making stuff up when I tell you I know your pain," I said. "I don't know what you saw in that car accident, but you should know that I've seen something I desperately wish I could unsee."
    Tears sprang to my eyes at the thought of finding Zeke. "It's been four years for me, and it does get better, but please just understand that I know where you're coming from." I glanced down and let out a tiny, humorless laugh. "And if it makes you feel any better, I didn't really feel in the mood to kiss anyone either."
    "Did you get into a car accident too?" he asked.
    My eyes met his again and I shook my head. I took a few seconds to debate how much I should tell him.
    "What did you see?" he