No, what scares me is that I’ll read whatever’s inside and forget everything I’ve seen. That I’ll let it be okay.
That I’ll go back.
I’ve pulled it out at least a dozen times in the past two days. Each time, I get so damn close. And then I chicken out.
I keep replaying mediation—how he couldn’t stop looking at me. I wanted to stare back, to take him in. But every time I glanced over, he was already watching me, just smiling, unapologetically. His eyes were full of something I didn’t know how to handle.
He looked so damn good. And I hated how much I wanted to touch him. To be near him again. Just for a second.
I won’t lie to myself. I wanted more than that. And when he pleaded with me at the end—right before the call came in—that look in his eyes almost broke me.
If we’d been alone…
If I’d let him talk…
I think I would’ve caved.
I close my eyes, take a steadying breath, and slide my thumb beneath the seal?—
A soft knock hits the door just before it creaks open.
“Hey, Al… can I come in?” Matt steps inside, casually dressed but somehow still managing to make it look expensive. I shove the letter back into my purse and rise to my feet.
“Matt!” I’m already moving before I even register it. The door clicks shut behind him as I throw my arms around his back. His arms open, and I lean into him, the hug familiar and grounding.
“What are you doing here? How did you even know…?”
But I already know. Jensen.
He told Matt. Then Matt asked Leo. And now… here he is.
“I texted Leo,” he says, casually. “He told me about your dad. How you holding up?”
I pull back and shrug.
That’s it. There’s nothing else to say.
Matt’s brows crease. “I want to hear about your dad, but I need to tell you… Megan’s here.”
A smile breaks across my face.
“And Jensen.”
My heart skips a beat. Then slams into overdrive.Jensen’s here?
“He is?” I ask, too fast. The words are out before I even realize I said he instead of they.
Matt’s lips twitch as he studies me. “They’re out in the waiting room. If you want to say hi.”
I nod before I can stop myself.
“Only if you want to,” he says gently. “No pressure.”
“Um… yeah, okay. We can go say hi.” I draw in a shaky breath and immediately start rubbing under my eyes. “Oh my God,” I mumble, patting my cheeks and combing my fingers through my hair. “I look like hell.”
Matt’s grin widens, like he knows exactly why I care.
He opens the door, and we head down the hall together. My heart’s racing, and I keep fussing with my hair, trying to pull myself together.
