Despite being the daughter of a pageant queen, Louise Saunders Lockhart wouldn't normally consider herself a beauty. Although there have been some standout moments in her life, and at this moment, this would be one of those times as the farmer checks herself out in the full-length mirror by her window in her bedroom at the lake cottage where she resides.

 

The black one-shoulder midi dress does its best to display her curves and cover most of her exterior flaws, or what she considers imperfections. She will be wearing this ensemble in a week at her engagement party that her mother is hosting for her and Jai at the Miller Inn ballroom.

 

Deciding to get changed, she goes to unzip the dress.

 

However, the din of the doorbell causes her to forgo getting out of this dress anytime soon as she races down the stairs barefoot to answer the door, hoping it's some person with a flyer she can quickly get rid of. But when she opens it, she discovers it is far from a random person.

 

"Hi," she admits to her ex-husband.

 

"Well, I would be lying if I said I was in the area," Sean Lockhart says. He gazes at his former wife, the mother of his twin daughters, and can't help but notice her shapely physique in the dress. "You look amazing, by the way."

 

Louise's lips curve into a smile. "What, this old thing?" she jokingly replies. She steps aside to let him into the house while shutting the door behind them. 

 

"I was just trying it to see how it looked on me."

 

"Well, if I'm impressed, I'm sure Jai will be too."

 

Louise heads toward the staircase. "Since you are here, you might as well make yourself useful by helping me get out of the dress; something tells me I'm going to have a hard time with this zipper."

 

The two go up the stairs and into the bedroom that once belonged to them. In some ways, it looks similar, albeit with minor indications, such as different pillows on the bed and a new throw rug on the floor. 

 

She turns around to get his attention.

 

"Do you ever think about if we never split up?" he discloses abruptly, causing Louise to comprehend what he is about to say.

 

"Sean, don't do this," 

 

He arrives closer to her, "I'm serious, Louise, because I've been thinking about it more and more, and it made me realize that I was a damn fool for letting you go."

 

Lousie finally gains enough composure to put together words verbally. "What is making you say all of this now?"

 

Sean runs his hands through his hair and exhales. "Cause try as I might to make things work with Tricia, we can't get back to what we had, and we both know it, but I'm too much of a coward to say it, and Tricia is too stubborn. But all I know is that I made the biggest mistake by thinking I could do better, but I already had the best, and I never saw it until now."

 

Louise faces herself in the mirror, with Sean standing behind her. "How do I know if what you're saying is the truth or if you're feeling some way because I'm getting married to someone else?" 

 

As she turns around, Sean walks toward her and reaches out, bringing her over to him. He grabs her hips as she glances at him with intensity.