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As he patted my back, Parker scoffed. “Can you tell he volunteers as an inspirational life coach with dysfunctional teens?” Tugging on Thane’s shoulder as he finished hugging me, he added, “Now step back, man, and give the rest of us a turn with her, will ya?”
“Alright, alright.” Thane let go of me and moved out of the way with a good-natured laugh. “I can share the love.”
When Parker stepped up next, with lifted eyebrows to ask if it was okay if he hugged me as well, I nodded and opened my arms.
“Just for the record,” he told me as he pulled me close. “I already thought you were weird. I mean, you gave awkward, quietArcherthe time of day. But this…yeah, this doesn’t make you any stranger than that.”
“Of course, it doesn’t. It makes you a badass,” Hudson added, jerking Parker back so he could hug me next. “And the one person who’s going to understand most just how truly awesome and unique it makes you is Damien.”
“Ivey,” Thane warned with a hard tone.
“I know, I know,” Hudson stepped back with his hands lifted in surrender. “No endorsing Archer. I just had to get that out there. I’m done now.”
Keene popped forward next. “Psycho ghost whisperer or not, I’d still do you,” he swore with an ornery grin.
“Wow, thanks,” I said dryly, only to grin and roll my eyes as I hugged him next.
“You are such a moron,” Parker muttered, shaking his head as Keene stepped back.
“What?” Keene demanded. “I made her smile, didn’t I?”
I glanced toward Foster who was hanging back almost shyly. But he stepped forward readily when we made eye contact.
“This paranormal stuff isn’t as out-there and rare as you think,” he assured. “I have a cousin who, I swear, is reincarnated from our grandma. And you could help a lot of people with what you can do. I mean, hell…” He shrugged awkwardly as he pulled me in for a hug. “Once you get this superpower of yours nailed down and figured out, maybe you could find my little brother for me. His body’s still lost somewhere in the Gulf.”
My lips parted in surprise.
Buthelppeople? I hadn’t even considered that idea.
Foster sent me a seeking, hopeful glance as he stepped back, and I nodded to him. “I like the sound of that,” I said. “Thank you.”
My life wasn’t ending at all, I realized.
It was just beginning.
34
OAKLYNN
The entire conversation I’d had with Damien’s friends left me thinking for the rest of the day.
And that night, while I was tucked into bed and unable to get to sleep, I chewed on my fingernail indecisively.
It had really hurt to learn that Damien had kept something so huge from me. He’d had no right. I mean, this had been information aboutme.
On the other hand, I knew without a doubt that he would accept this new side of me. Hell, he already had before I even knew I had it.
That wasn’t something I could say definitively about Jay or anyone else. She was the biggest skeptic I knew. I couldn’t picture hereverbelieving this.
But he hadliedto me.
How could I ever trust him again?
It got real and I fell in love with you.
As his confession echoed through my head, tears filled my eyes. I had a feeling that wasn’t something he’d ever told another girl before. And sadly, I think I felt the same way.
“God, you are so stupid,” I told myself as I grabbed my phone and dialed his number.
