LOGINAlan sat beside me on Tristan's couch, and neither of us said a word for what felt like ten minutes but was probably closer to two.I kept stealing glances at him, waiting for him to speak first, because I certainly was not going to be the one to open my mouth and say the wrong thing.He finally spoke. "Lory told you I came looking for you yesterday?"I nodded."You were here when I came?"I nodded again."So you knew." No question in his voice this time, just confirming. "You didn't want to see me?"I remained quiet. Nodding to that would have been a lie, and I could not bring myself to tell it. The truth was I wanted to see him, terribly so. I just was not allowed to, and I was not about to explain that part.He exhaled slowly and dragged a hand down his face. "We need to talk. I was hoping we could do it at home.""What do you mean?"He lowered his voice, like he knew exactly what I would say. "Come home with me."I shook my head. "I am the only one here. I do not want to leave wit
My nails were digging into my palm when Cash moved. He had figured out I was lying, nobody begs a stranger like that, but instead of calling me on it, he angled his body between me and Damien."Get up. And go.”Damien looked him over, sizing him up. He knew he was no match for Cash, a man built like exactly what he was, a professional hockey player.He pleaded with Cash instead. "Please, man. Help me. Beg her for me. There's so much riding on this, you don't understand."Cash just ignored him, and I could tell from his expression he was running some kind of silent countdown in his head. When it hit zero, he closed the distance in two steps.Damien got the message fast and bolted. I would be ashamed forever that I once dated that coward."Thank you." I turned to Cash.He nodded, then gave me a look. "So. Who is he? And don't say you don't know him, because we both saw that you do."I sighed. "My ex."His eyebrow went up. "Guess I'm not the only one who dates jerks.”"Shut up." A smile
I couldn't explain why Lory found his reply so funny after I showed her the message. I was beyond pissed.I fired off another message, telling him I had zero interest in whatever he thought he needed to prove, what I wanted was my picture down. Immediately.His response: an address and a time."This guy is insane," I snapped.Lory sat halfway up in bed, wearing that specific scheming look I'd learned to dread."No. Absolutely not. This is the worst possible timing for whatever's going on in your head, Lory." I headed for the closet to change.I came back out. "Can I sue this guy? Legally?"She laughed at me. "You really shouldn't be this mad about it. If you look at this properly, it could work in your favor.""Lory, no. There's no way being splashed all over the internet to strangers works in my favor.""Just hear me out." She rushed the words. "You could use this to snap Alan out of that standoff. Get you out of your own misery."I sighed. "I shouldn't be listening to you.""Look, I
Alan didn't bother pretending he wasn't looking. He stared, and he wanted me to know it.Even after I'd placed my order, I could still feel it, his eyes on me. I did my best to ignore it, composed myself, and turned my full attention back to Spencer.We caught up properly after that. He told me he would be around for a month, and somewhere in the catching-up I mentioned I'd been on my way to the flower shop when he called. That led to him mentioning his cousin's wedding."I'll connect you with her. You could handle the flowers.""Thank you for the recommendation.""I'll stop by on my free days." He checked his watch. "I have a meeting in a bit. Only stopped because this is where I get the best coffee in town."We left the café together. The only thing keeping me from finding some excuse to hang back and wait for Alan, to apologize one more time, was Lory's warning never to do that again.At my car, Spencer whistled low. "Someone's not so humble after all." He knocked a knuckle against
It was a nursery. Tastefully done, everything in muted shades of blue. The crib had a name worked into the wall above it. Kendrick.A closet took up one side, packed with designer baby clothes, some folded, some still tagged, next to a shelf of storybooks. Whoever put this room together had thought through every detail of it. It even smelled faintly like a baby.By the window was a nursing chair, and on the table beside it, a diary.I crossed to it and opened the first page.Hi Kendrick. It's Mom.I closed it immediately.It felt wrong, invasive, like I'd walked in on something sacred. Being there at all felt like a violation.I stepped back out and pulled the door shut.Turning to walk to my room, I flinched at the sight of Alan watching me.One look at his face had sweat lining my forehead. His jaw was clenched so hard it looked painful. His chest rising and falling fast."I'm sorry, I was just passing by and the door was open, I… I…"Even to my own ears, the words coming out of my
We stared at each other in the mirror. Then he moved, closing his hands around my waist, murmuring something I couldn't make out against my neck before his mouth found it, kissing along my skin.I knew nothing was happening tonight, not with him this drunk. I turned in his arms, gently pulling him back. "Are your friends gone?"He nodded.I guided him to bed, got him settled, and climbed in beside him. He pulled me into a snuggle, his head dropping onto my shoulder, eyes already closing."I'm sorry, Amy," he mumbled, right before his breathing evened out into sleep.I shut my own eyes, refusing to let myself think about it, and forced myself back under too.A sound from the bathroom woke me. I rushed in to find Alan forcing himself to vomit.I rubbed his back. "What's wrong?""I don't feel well." His voice was rough. "Might be the food. Nauseous. My head's killing me."Of course his head was killing him, given how much he'd had, but this wasn't the moment to point that out. His skin w







