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“Just keep your heart safe for me, all right? Don’t go over to your mother’s. Don’t let yourself go down dark paths. Don’t be lured into that self-hatred again, all right?”
Lured into itagain? I’d never left it to begin with, just kept it at bay through Luke’s love and devotion and sadism. But the bad in me went so deep.
I love you, Mitchell.
“Don’t worry. I’ll call Daniel if I get haunted again.” And I would. Because I was going to take care of myself like I promised, and sometimes that meant asking for help.
“Good idea. And, speaking of, I’d really like to meet him soon. Why haven’t I met him yet? Do you not want to introduce me?”
I rolled my eyes. “I’ve told you, Daniel’s a real…”
“Party pooper. You’ve said.”
“Exactly. He’s always bringing the mood down with his logic and his earnestness and his good,goodheart. Ugh. He’s annoying actually. Not sure why I adore him so much.”
“Because he’s the best person in the whole world,” Luke said,quoting what I always said about Daniel.
“Yeah. Except for maybe you.”
“Oh, I have no doubt he’s a much better person than I am,” Luke said in a naughty tone. “What kind of man does the things I do to you?”
“Not a party pooper, that’s for sure.”
Luke laughed, and it sounded almost like normal. “No. If there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s to throw a party. Apainparty.”
“Ba-dum-bum.” I chuckled. “But hey, that does sound like a fun New Year’s Eve plan. After we ring it in at Tilt-a-Whirl, we can come home, and it can be me, you, and the basement. You could give me a New Year’s spanking.”
“You’re on.”
My heart twisted. “Will this stuff with your dad be resolved by then?”
“I hope it’s done before Christmas at the latest. I really need to get back to my job at the store. I’m pushing it as it is. I hope I still have a job to return to by the time this is over.” He sighed.
“You can return tomeno matter what.”
“I’m glad for that.”
“I miss you so much.”
“Me too.” I heard a man’s loud voice in the background, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying. Luke sighed. “Thanks for making me talk to you, baby. I’ll lean on you more in the future. I know you’re there for me. And hey, if I can get away for a handful of hours, I’ll come see you soon.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
“I love you,” Luke whispered. “I have to go now.”
“I love you too.”
And I did. With my whole heart.
Even the darkest, blackest bits of it.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
‡
Minty
Fortunately, Luke’s fatherwas granted a place at Shield’s Senior Care home that weekend.Unfortunately, though, Luke still needed to stay with his mother to help get him set up there, and then to deal with Betsy. Even more unfortunately, a few nights after our heart-to-heart phone call, Luke’s cabinets and fridge finally ran out of food.
