A surprise visitor

It was a quiet Sunday afternoon at the bookstore, and Lily was lost in a book when the bell above the door chimed. She looked up to see a man walking towards her, a man she recognized immediately.

It was David, her ex-fiance.

Lily's heart skipped a beat as she stood up, feeling a mix of emotions. David had been out of her life for years, and she had never expected to see him again.

"Hi Lily," David said, a smile on his face. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Lily forced a smile, trying to keep her cool. "No, not at all," she said. "What brings you here?"

David hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I was in the area for work and thought I would stop by," he said. "I wanted to see how you were doing."

Lily felt a surge of anger at his words. How could he just show up like this, after all these years? But she forced herself to stay calm.

"I'm doing well, thanks for asking," she said coolly. "How about you?"

David shrugged. "I'm doing okay," he said. "I've been busy with work, but I've been thinking a lot about us lately. I wanted to see if we could talk."

Lily's heart sank at his words. She had moved on from David, but she couldn't deny that she still had feelings for him. She had never been able to fully let go of their relationship, no matter how hard she tried.

"Okay," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Let's talk."

David sat down in one of the armchairs, and Lily sat across from him, feeling nervous. She didn't know what to expect from this conversation, but she knew that it could change everything.

They talked for hours, reminiscing about old times and catching up on their lives. David talked about his job and the places he had traveled, and Lily talked about her new life in Misty Creek.

As the sun began to set, David took a deep breath and spoke.

"Lily, I know that I messed up when we were together," he said. "I was young and foolish, and I didn't know how to treat you right. But I want to make it up to you. I want to start over, if you'll let me."

Lily felt a wave of emotions wash over her. She had never expected David to say something like this, but a part of her couldn't help but feel hopeful.

But then she remembered the pain that he had caused her, the broken promises and the shattered dreams.

"I don't know, David," she said softly. "I've moved on from our relationship, and I don't know if I can trust you again."

David's face fell at her words, and Lily felt a pang of guilt. She knew that she was hurting him, but she also knew that she couldn't ignore her own feelings.

"I understand," David said, standing up. "I'll leave you alone now. I just wanted to apologize, and to let you know that I still care about you."

Lily watched as David walked out of the bookstore, feeling a mix of emotions. She didn't know what the future held for them, but she knew that she needed time to think.

As she closed up the bookstore for the night, Lily thought about the past and the future. She thought about the mistakes she had made, and the lessons she had learned.

And she thought about David, and the possibility of a second chance. She didn't know what the future held, but she knew that she was ready to face it, whatever it may cost .