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Her apology stings. That’s not what I want. Not by a long shot. “You don’t have to be sorry, Laney. I just want you to be happy.”
“I want you to be happy too.”
Why can’t we be happy together? Wewerehappy together.
Laney takes a step toward me and takes my hand.
I hold my breath. Is this a dream? A trick?
“You should stay.”
I shake my head. “I don’t know, Laney. It was stupid. I shouldn’t–”
“You already made the drive up here. At least…” Both her hands encapsulate one of mine. Though she’s not very short in the scheme of women of the world, to me and my stature, she’s a little thing. One I’d like to scoop up and protect from the world.
“Stay for dinner. Stay the night. Nate would like it and…” Her eyes drop to our hands. “I’d like it, too.”
My heart thuds in my chest. “You would?”
Laney nods. “I would.”
“Because I really will go back home. I…don’t know what I was thinking.” I can spend the week I’ve taken off from the firm catching up on reading. Doing puzzles. Take a spur-of-the-moment flight to somewhere warm where I could drink pina coladas and get a good tan.
Rolling her eyes, Laney pulls on my hand. “It doesn’t make any sense to have you go back. I won’t hear of it.” Her head tilts toward the door. “Stay.”
To be wanted by Laney is all I have craved for the past three years and change. I have wanted her every minute I have been apart from her, wanted her despite knowing that she could have whomever she wanted. My best friend, even. The guy who she always rolled her eyes at when he made stupid jokes and who she made fake vomit sounds toward when he turned on that lady-killer charm.
We’ve all grown up. It seems like in different direction.
I feel eyes on us and shoot my gaze toward the front window of the cabin. The curtain closes.
Nate.
I don’t want to break his heart. I don’t want mine to break either.
None of this is about us, though. It’s about Laney.
“Okay.” I give her a soft smile.
Laney beams at me.
Maybe I have a real chance here. But am I willing to take it, knowing one or all of us will end up getting hurt?
17
NATE
Smoke stings my eyes.Something is burning.
“Fuck.” I throw open the grill.
I’ve been in a world of my own, not paying attention to how much time has passed.
Three skewers of shrimp ruined.
I grab the tongs and pull them off one by one, tossing them off the deck and into the woods.
I can’t stop thinking about what I saw between Laney and Mason.
