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34
SAVANNAH
THE DEVIL’S TEARS - ANGUS & JULIA STONE
THE FOLLOWING DAY
Around a yawn,I checked my watch for the third time, annoyed at myself, more than my sisters, for their chronic inability to be punctual.
Why did I ever believe them when they scheduled anything with me? Why did I bother wasting my time?
Paris was usually better than Aspen with timekeeping, but ten minutes was one thing, an hour was beyond a joke.
Huffing, I shoved my phone back into my purse and hesitated over my next move. I was still exhausted from Sunday night and my entire torso was aching like a bitch.
I’d spent most of yesterday in bed, sleeping, and I’d only dragged myself off my damn mattress because Paris had confirmed she wanted to catch up late last night plus I needed to buy stuff for the cat Lucas had dropped off yesterday afternoon.
Because ibuprofen and bed beckoned, I started to gather my things together, my intention to head over to the cashier to pay so I could return home and rest up some more once my errands were complete, but when I saw a face from my past standing in front of the display cases, my plans were whipped away by my surprise.
Cassie Rundel.
There was no missing that head of hair—it was like silk. It gleamed in the lights above the counter. As purely golden as it had been the last time we’d met.
Taken aback, but in a good way, I left my shit at the table and moved over to the line. When she didn’t turn to look at me, I grabbed her by the elbow.
"Cassie?!"
She jumped a foot in the air from the tug on her arm, and her eyes were shadowed and haunted as she shot a terrified look at me.
Her brow puckered, but she stopped dragging away from my hold as, confusedly, she murmured, "Savannah?"
Though I knew something was very, very wrong, I beamed a grin at her. "It's me, Cass. It's me! How are you? Oh, my God, it's been so fucking long since we caught up."
She shot me a wan smile, one that packed half the punch of her old megawatt one, and that was when my surprise downshifted to outright concern.
"Are you okay?" I asked softly.
She shot me a tired smile. "I'm just working on a deadline."
She was lying.
And were those...
Shit.
They were.
Bruises.
Around her eyes.
"Do you come here often?" I questioned. "I'd love to catch up when you have some spare time." I slipped my hand into my pocket and withdrew one of my cards from the holder I always carried around with me. "Call me if you'd like that too."
I backed off rather than cause her any more discomfort and watched as she pocketed my card without looking at it.
Our eyes lingered on each other until I turned away and retreated to the table I'd been on the brink of vacating because I'd given up on my sisters ever arriving.
As I plunked my ass down, I stared at the back of Cassie's head as she purposely kept her gaze averted from me, wondering what was going on with her.
