Page 78

I opened it and reverently flipped through the pages.

“It’s on page 234,” she said.

“What is?”

“The quote. The one you like.”

I went to page 234. There it was.

I’d written it from memory. I’d gotten it right. I read it out loud.

“‘Maybe this isn’t the kind of love that deserves to exist. Maybe it’s the kind that wars start over. The kind that topples empires and never leaves the world better than it found it.’”

She smiled. “That’s the one.”

The oil worked to take off most of the marker. We went to the restaurant I’d planned and got to the cabin by 2:00.

“Fucking finally,” Mike said, coming around the corner before we were even fully in the door. He had a beer in his hand.

He grabbed Larissa and hugged her.

“Ow ow, Mike? You’re pulling my hair,” she croaked.

“Oh, shit, sorry,” he said, letting her go.

“Where is everyone?” I asked, setting Woofarine down. He bounced off Mike’s shins for a moment, then took off into the house.

Mike tipped his beer into his mouth. “They’re all on the dock swimming. I waited for you guys, go get changed.” He was already in swim trunks and flip-flops. “You guys want a margarita?”

“I’ll have one,” Larissa said.

He looked at me. “Chris?”

“No, I’m good.”

“Ahhh come on, it’s a fucking party.” He smacked my shoulder, a little too hard.

I rubbed my arm. “Uh, okay? Maybe just one?”

“That’s my boy! I’ll meet you two out there.” Then he grabbed Larissa and kissed her. Roughly.

Her eyes flew wide as he bent her backward. “Mike…” she said against his mouth, trying to push him off. “Mike!”

He put his forehead to hers. “Missed you.” And he let her go and left.

She staggered back a few steps and looked at me, disheveled. “Okay…” she said, smoothing down her hair.

“I think he’s a little… happy to see you?” I said, not knowing what to say.

“Yeah.” Her face flushed. “I guess I’m gonna go get changed?”

“Yeah.”

I showed her to the room she was sharing with Mike, and she went in without looking at me again. I went to the kitchen to swap out the sponge. When I was done, I went to check the pantry and found myself face-to-face with a jar of peanut butter and trail mix—he hadn’t cleaned anything out. Not even after I told him.

He was drinking, not fucking paying attention. It pissed me off.

Larissa’s allergy terrified me. It literally kept me up at night.