“That sounds like quite a life together.”
“It was,” he says dreamily. “But it still wasn’t long enough.”
His grief twists around me painfully. I squeeze his hand.
Richard gets a faraway look in his eyes, his voice lowering. “She was my best friend. Never thought I’d live without her.”
Without warning, Holden’s face flashes in my mind, all blond hair and soft blue eyes. Suddenly, I can relate to Richard. Whatif losing Holden felt like that? The ache is enough to suck the air from my lungs.
I can’t imagine my life without my best friend either.
When the scans are over, I help Richard out of the room, give a few last instructions, then slip down to the nurses’ station to sneak a mint from the bowl. The red and white stripes remind me of the awning outside the candle shop, and I catch myself smiling.
“Oh, my God. You need to stop,” I mutter under my breath, scrubbing my face.
“Korie?”
I turn around. Trey is watching me with eyebrows raised and an amused expression on his face. “Talking to yourself again?”
“Always,” I say dryly.
He steps closer. “End of shift hitting you hard?”
“Something like that.”
He studies me for a second, as if cataloguing something. Trey’s good at seeing things. Maybe too good. It’s how he got the job.
I dodge the question before he has a chance to ask it again. “I’m fine. Just tired. It’s been a long week.”
He finally relaxes. “You heading out soon?”
“Yup. Just finishing up actually.”
He glances down the hall, then back at me. The tips of his ears turn pink. “Do you have plans tonight?”
“Nothing aside from losing some brain cells to games on my phone. Might watch some TV.”
Trey smiles weakly. “Living the dream.”
“Exactly.”
He hesitates. “I could… take you to dinner? If you’re up for it, I mean.”
The question lands softer than it should, making my heart flutter. There’s no pressure in it, almost like it could pass as anot-dateif I wanted it to. But his intention is clear.
For a moment, I imagine myself saying yes. I enjoy Trey’s company. He’s kind, and he’s always respected me. But that’s as far as it goes. There’s no pull. No curiosity. Nothing…more.
“Thanks, but I really think I need a break tonight.”
His shoulders sag. “I see. Maybe a rain check?”
“Sure.” I only say it to be nice. Not because I mean it. I can see myself on another fake date with Holden more easily than I can see myself on a real one with Trey.
And I’m not sure what that says about me.
He steps away. “Alright. Get home safe then.”
“You too.”
