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"Me too."
She kneels next to me. The brush of her hand sends this tiny wave of heat to my limbs. It's the first thing I've felt since I got the news.
I need to get this out now, before I'm too greedy to do it. "I shouldn't ask you to stay."
"Don't be stupid. You need someone. I want to be here." Her voice is soft. Earnest. "Even if we're not together, and I know we're not, you're still my friend."
"I don't have a lot of friends."
"You do. You just don't let them help you."
Maybe. I stare back into her eyes. "You realize I'm not going to fuck you."
She smiles. "Don't make promises you can't keep."
A tiny laugh escapes my lips. For the first time since I got the news, I feel good. "You think you're that irresistible?"
She nods.
Another laugh escapes my lips. "Lacey, I…"
"Yeah?" She sinks to her knees and wraps her arms around me.
I don't know how to finish the sentence, so I pull her closer.
She nes
tles into my chest.
I'm not sure if I'm holding her or if she's holding me.
Either way, it feels right.
We watch the waves pound the sand.
Bit by bit, weight drops off my shoulders. I sink into Lacey's touch.
I bring my mouth to her ear. "Thank you."
"For?"
"For being here."
I don't fight it.
I let her hold me.
I let it hit me.
And I let myself fall apart in her arms.
41
Lacey
It's strange how good it feels, holding Mal as he sobs.
He's trusting me with something he's never trusted anyone with before.
