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I’d fought alongside him. My loyalty was with him. I’d vowed to protect his sister as much as he had.
And now I’d broken her heart, and mine.
The room spun as I closed my eyes. I was too tired and drunk to think clearly anymore. I promised, with the last bit of lucidity I possessed, that tomorrow would be better. I’d be better. I’d keep myself reined in and not toy with Keely’s heart.
I promised, as my body slipped into a black, dreamless slumber, that I’d be honest with Keely if given the chance.
I’d tell her that I loved her. That I burned for her. That I ached for her when she wasn’t around.
And I had, for years.
ChapterThirteen
Keely
The sun hadn’t even brushed over the horizon when I opened my eyes. It took me a moment to register where I was. I blinked up at the paneled ceiling, the fan slowly spinning above my head. I curled my hands into fists, then relaxed, reaching up to touch my lips. They were still swollen and my skin was raw from where his stubble had scratched me when he pressed me up against the door and kissed me like his life depended on it.
He’d apologized. Had it been for kissing me again? Or was the apology for being a total jerk yesterday?
Whatever it was for, I didn’t really dwell on it. Not when I had a smile on my face and in my heart, as I stretched out in bed and rubbed my eyes, ready to take on the day.
I hoped he’d be at breakfast. He usually was. Well, he most of the time he’d at least stop in to grab a cup of coffee on his way up to Grant’s office to go over the plan of action for the day. I knew George to be a man of routine, and perhaps his back and forth with me was only because I was messing with that. Well, that and the fact he was drunk as hell last night.
He’d probably be feeling like absolute garbage today.
I swung my legs out of bed and went to take a shower. I took some special care in getting ready. Normally I just let my hair dry however it wanted to and hoped for the best, but today I put some product in it and curled it around my fingers before diffusing it with my hairdryer. It sprung up like a thick, golden halo around my face as I put on my makeup, a little more than I normally did. I brushed my teeth and dressed myself in my favorite baby blue sundress with little embroidered daisies on it. I turned to the full-length mirror and smoothed the fabric over my flat stomach and over the swell of my hips, happy with what I saw. This dress always had compliments coming my way. It was tight in all the right places without being too revealing.
I pinned my hair away from my face with claw-clip and pulled one my favorite sandals before walking out of my room and into the kitchen. I looked in the fridge, debating what to make for breakfast. Moira was eating whatever I cooked without complaint, but I wasn’t really worried about her this morning.
I felt like cooking for George and the righteous hangover he was going to be battling.
I’d gone to the store yesterday and stopped at the farmers’ market to pick up some fresh produce. I pulled out a carton of blueberries and all the ingredients I needed to make a ham, pepper, and cheese omelet as well as a side of hashbrowns with country gravy, bacon, and blueberry pancakes with fresh butter and maple syrup.
I snacked on blueberries as I cooked. I didn’t eat much at all yesterday and was pretty hungry. Whatever hope George had ignited in my heart was making it possible to feel like myself again, as pathetic as that sounded. It wasn’t easy being in love, I guessed.
Day burst into the room just as I started to flip the first pancake.
“Yes! I thought I smelled pancakes.”
“You can have the first one.” I winked. “It’s always the ugliest!”
Day giggled as he walked over to stand by my side at the stove, his stomach growling audibly as he looked over the food I was preparing. I started stacking pancakes on a plate and flipped the omelet and hashbrowns while Day helped keep an eye on the gravy.
“This is a big breakfast,” he beamed, practically drooling as I fixed him a plate.
“I thought you’d be hungry.” I smiled, giving him a little extra butter and syrup to go with his pancakes, then dusted them with powdered sugar. “You’re going to be eating cafeteria food for the next twenty-four hours anyway, so eat up!”
“Can you stay here forever?” he asked, carefully balancing his heavy plate in his hands.
I smiled down at him, shrugging. I didn’t know what to say to him, honestly. He walked over to the kitchen table and sat down, digging in. I poured him some orange juice and took a second to sip from my own mug of coffee before turning back to the food and dishing up a plate to take up to Moira, but to my surprise she appeared in the kitchen out of nowhere.
“You’re supposed to be in bed!” I scolded, but Moira only grinned and sniffed, taking a seat next to Day.
She attempted to take a bite of his pancakes but he pulled his plate away from her, scowling playfully. I set her plate in front of her and with a glass of orange juice.
“I do get a little time every day to be up and on my feet,” she said, sighing deeply as she looked over her food. “Wow, Keely. This looks great!”
“Has Grant left already?” I asked as I dished myself some food. I was starving.
