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“I love you too. I’m sorry it took me so long to say it.”
“No, don’t-”
But I reach up and put my hand over his mouth. “The entire time I was there, I just kept thinking how silly…What a stupid,foolishgirl I had been for not just telling you how I felt when I had the chance. Life’ssoshort. I’ve always known that and yet…It took a run-in with Sascha to remind me that not everyone gets this lucky.” I tap his chest. “But, by some random miracle, wedo.” Lowering my voice, I whisper, “I don’t want to be afraid anymore.”
“I understand why you need time, Cat.”
“I know you do. And I love that about you. But from now on, I’m saying yes to the things I want. I’m not running anymore. I am sotiredof being unsure...”
He is quiet for a long moment.
“I knew you would come for me,” I tell him. “Maybe not find me—life has made me too jaded to believe that things always work out. But I knew you’d come.”
“I would never have stopped looking.”
“I know.”
“Maybe, we can practice not being afraid—together. And agree that even when we’re not perfect, we’ll trust one another.”
I nod. But the wordtrustreminds me that I haven’t been entirely honest with him. And I want to start. Tomorrow’s a new day. A new start—I instinctively know that to be true. And I want it to be clean. A fresh slate. “Aiden, I have one last confession.”
“You can tell me anything. Always.” He tilts my face with his hand. He kisses my forehead, then my right cheek before moving to the left.
“I think I know who Lizzie was with at the Moonlight Lounge the night before she died.”
He doesn’t pause. He whispers, “I know,” and places a gentle kiss on my lips.
I frown. “Youdo?”
“I figured you’d tell me when you were ready.” He brushes his lips against mine, waiting for me to say what I need to.
Leaning closer, I whisper, “William Rusche—George and Winnifred’s son.”
Aiden doesn’t seem surprised. He nods calmly and, when I look up at him in concern, kisses me again. “Tomorrow,” he promises. “Life can pause until tomorrow. For now,” he gently brushes my hair back from my face, “try and get some sleep, love.”
When his mouth finds mine again, I sink into the kiss, into him, finally home.
Chapter 35
Lyla
June 12, 2008 – One Month Earlier
“I’ve canceled all our clientsfor the next two weeks.” We’re all crowded in the entryway at home after getting back from the police station, but we turn to silently stare at Toni at her announcement. “I thought we could all take the time to relax. It’s-it’s been a long day.”
Before any of us can say more or offer any comfort, Toni turns for the stairs and makes an escape. We all watch after her.
I consider going after her. Lizzie and I may have been oil and water, but she was Antoinette’s sister in more ways than one. Up until recently, the two of them always had their heads together, whispering about those secret things they only shared with each other. I’ve never had someone in my life like that, someone who perfectly knew everything about me, someone who I could tell all my secrets too. Rye…Rye comes close by default. But I’ve hidden a lot from him through the years too.
Still, I do understand loss. I understand what it’s like to lose the one person you thought would always be there to steady you when life tripped you up, and what it is to wake up, open your eyes, and instantly be inundated with grief.
I understand loneliness.
And there is nothing worse than being alone when the one person you want to talk to is gone.
Catherine slips out of her wedge heels and discards them at the door with the small pile of shoes already there. It’s a colorful and eclectic mix that perfectly describes Clementine Lane: A pair of my black, leather combat boots are tangled with pretty sandals that have bright pink, ribboned straps. Catherine’s sneakers peek out from beneath a pair of Elizabeth’s red, thigh-high boots. A single, blackLouboutinheel is perched on top of the pile like a lonely monarch surveying her ramshackle kingdom.
“I’m really worried about her,” Catherine whispers, watching as Toni makes her way across the landing to her room.
