Page 71 of See You in Your Dreams

He rolls his eyes. “Probably.” Reaching out, he grips my shoulders. “Now, come on, talk to me. What the hell happened with you and Tommy?”

I let out a long sigh. “Snuggles first. Then trauma.”

His lips briefly quirk up before falling back into the same dour expression he’s worn since Greta’s death. “That can be arranged.”

He leads me upstairs, and we settle into his bed. With Ash cuddled up behind me, I haltingly relate what had happened at dinner. Onyx wanders in at one point, bored and looking for attention. She settles in against my stomach after nudging my hand until I pet her. When I’m done with my tale, I can practically feel the simmering anger bleeding from Ash.

“Tommy ismyproblem,” I remind him. “Things have been getting worse between us for a long time. It’s on me to fix it.”

Ash’s fingers skim over my belly. “You don’t have to take it all on by yourself. Not everything bad that happens is your responsibility to fix.”

“I could say the same to you,” I reply softly.

Ash doesn’t respond, tensing behind me.

After a few moments of silence, I add, “Sorry for interrupting your time with your aunt.”

“It’s fine,” he grunts, relaxing a hair. “Our Thanksgiving dinner wasn’t exactly going great either.”

“Why not?”

He shifts against me, the covers rustling. Onyx gives him a disdainful look. “Well for one, this is my first family Thanksgiving since my mom…you know.”

Surprise courses through me. “The Ellingtons never did anything?”

My shoulder vibrates as he shakes his head against it. “They were always off at some gala or fundraiser, leaving me to eat alone. So, this forced family time was a little much.”

“But I thought things were going better between you and your aunt?”

“They are…mostly. And dinner was all right, I guess, if a little weird. At least, until she brought up my mom. She wanted to talk about her, and I…well, let’s just say I didn’t. I’m glad you got here when you did—you spared me having to sit through the rest.”

I chuckle, warmth trickling through my veins as I press back into him. “Sounds like I wasn’t the only one who could use this then.”

“Definitely not.” A beat of silence passes, and then he adds more quietly, “No matter what happens, I always want you here with me.”

I love you.The words dance on my tongue, but I can’t quite force them out. Maybe it’s everything tonight with Tommy, or the recency of Greta’s passing still looming over us. Either way, right now it’s enough simply to be here with Ash, safe in his arms as we drift off together to sleep.

twenty-five

Ash

I can tell atonce that I’m dreaming from the subtle press I’ve learned to recognize on the back of my mind. Sitting up in bed and peering about my darkened room, I also realize it’s not solelymydream I’ve entered.

Regret thrums in my chest like a discordant heartbeat. It’s like that night after Emily’s party. Once again, I’d forgotten to take my sleeping pills and ended up sucked into Dylan’s dream, accidentally putting him at risk.

Someone shifts under the covers beside me. I turn toward them, muffling a frustrated sigh. “Sorry about this, Dylan. I didn’t mean to drag us into a shared dream.” I pause, considering. “Though I suppose now that we’re here, we might as well enjoy it. How about a trip to the moon?”

No reply.

Frowning, I reach over and grasp the covers. “Dylan? What’re you—?”

Shock freezes me in place as the covers fall aside to reveal wavy blond hair and a familiar freckled face I last saw staring at me with the same hollow expression he wears now.

“This is allyourfault!” Harvey accuses. He scrambles away from me and tumbles out of the bed, his face wild with terror. “You’re a freak! Amonster!”

“I…” My tongue is tied in my mouth, my words escaping me as I stare after his retreating form. He reaches the far corner of the room and huddles in the shadows beside my desk.

This isn’t real,I remind myself, my heart pounding.It’s only a dream.