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“You have that determined man glint in your eyes,” I reply with a sly smile.
“Man glint?” he questions, clearly amused.
“Yeah,” I say, reaching out to touch his biceps and leaning up to plant a kiss on his cheek. “Good night, Matty.”
“Finally,” he whispers. The slight smirk on his face makes the wait to call him Matty worth it.
I turn around, ready to walk away and sleep, only Matty grabs my arm and spins me back to him, slamming his lips on mine once again. He steals my breath, gulping down the air from my lungs as he spears his tongue into my mouth.
Kissing Matthew Hayes is like tasting comfort food for the very first time—you damn well know that no matter what, you’ll always go back for seconds. He pulls away, pressing his lips against mine again and again as though he doesn’t want to say goodbye.
I’m already halfway up the stairs when I hear his whisper filled with unresolved tension.
Like a coward, I slip into my bedroom without responding, the unanswered question lingering between us. By the next morning, I wish I’d given him some kind of answer, because when I wake up, he’s long gone. The only indication he was here is the folded blanket at the edge of my couch that smells faintly of him.
Seventeen
“I’m so excited.I think I might pass out!” Milo stumbles over his feet as he rushes for his coat and hat. “There are black dots in my vision! Lottie, I need a paper bag, stat!”
“Sit down, sit down.” Suppressing my laughter, I swiftly move toward my little brother, who’s perched on the small bench by the front door with his head between his knees, inhaling and exhaling through clenched teeth. “Take deep breaths.” I kneel on the floor before him just as a honk sounds from the street.
“They are here.” He attempts to lift his head, but I gently push it down. Spinning around might make him even dizzier.
“One more deep breath, and then we’ll give hugs before I walk you out,” I tell him calmly, my fingers smoothing his hair like delicate feathers. “There you go,” I coo as he complies. “Now, slowly lift your head.”
“Do you have my phone?” he asks, excitement gleaming in his eyes.
It’s already in my hand. I wave the device in front of him, and he promptly slips it into a coat pocket before tugging on his jacket. “Hat.” I grab a bright blue beanie from the bin and pull it over his ears.
Externally, I project an image of calm, cool collectedness for Milo, but internally, my stomach churns with doubt and worry.
“Are you going to be okay without me, Lottie?” Milo’s question tugs at my heartstrings.
“Well,” I begin, knowing I won’t deceive him, but he doesn’t need to know the full extent of my anxiety. “I’m planning to go for a run.”
“So you’re at a solid eight on the anxiety scale,” he observes sagely. “I’ll check in when we get there.”
Amused by his insight, I ruffle his hair and stand up, opening the door. “You read me well, Milo.” I don my hat and follow him outside.
The crisp morning air invigorates my lungs, allowing me to breathe more deeply. I lock the door and slip my key into my pocket before doing anything else, then I join Milo at the curb, where Marion and Winston are waiting. There’s a man in the driver’s seat I’ve never met before, and he offers me a soft smile before nodding toward the car behind him.
It’s an imposing black vehicle with deeply tinted windows, resembling something fit for the president.
“We have an escort today,” Marion whispers to me as she opens the backdoor for Milo. “Hey, Milo, how are you feeling this morning?”
“Excited.” Milo hops into the car, and Winston immediately launches into a lively conversation about the chocolate events they plan to attend today.
He needs this.
Taking a deep, calming breath, I turn back to Marion. “Thank you for taking him today. Please call if you need anything or just to check in.” My eyes flit back to the car.
“Desmond’s orders,” she whispers. She has questions, I can see it in her eyes.Who is he to you?
It’s a question I can’t answer because I don’t even know.
“Have fun,” I say, stepping back, my stomach twisting as I almost stumble over the curb. Marion slides into the car, and far too quickly, the vehicle rumbles down the street.
Panic prickles at the base of my neck as they drive away, but then the needle-like feeling in my chest intensifies.
