We laugh together, and as it fades, the air shifts into something lighter. Something familiar. Comfortable.
We’re parked beside a row of yachts, swaying gently in the breeze. I glance out over Lake Michigan, the skyline shimmering in the water below. It’s beautiful here. Quiet. Secluded. The kind of place people come to escape—or hook up.
Or maybe to try again.
I’ve always loved this city at night.
I turn to him. “How’s Matt?” I pause, drawing in a breath, and ask the question I’ve been avoiding—just one of many. “How areyou?”
His eyes meet mine, and there’s something soft in them. “Tonight?” He exhales. “I’m good. I’m more than good.”
It’s the first time I’ve asked abouthim.
It’s a step.
I’m not sure if it’s in the right direction, but it’s forward.
Maybe that’s what tonight’s all about.
Not a reset. Not a promise.
Just… a beginning.
By the timeI get back to the hospital it’s late—almost 1 a.m. That’s almost 2 a.m. in New York. But I need to talk to Scarlett. It’s the weekend, she might be up. And if she’s asleep, I know she turns her phone on silent, so I won’t wake her.
I take a seat in the waiting room and call her. It rings a few times and then goes to voicemail.
I end the call right as a text comes through.
Goodnight, babe. I love you. Looking forward to our next make-out in the backseat at Montrose harbor… Maybe we can get to second base?
I laugh softly, shaking my head.
Alley
Don’t hold your breath.
For two years it’s been so heavy. I feel like I’ve been swimming with a weighted vest, holding on to Jensen—barely keeping us afloat. Trying to save us both. It’s been a lot.Too much.
Tonight, I feel like the vest was taken off. At least a few pounds were unloaded. And that feels incredible. I’m scared shitless, but my lungs fill with air a little bit easier.
My phone vibrates in my hand. It’s Scarlett.
“Hey,” I say quietly. “I hope I didn’t wake you.”
“No, you didn’t. I was just finishing something.”
“Something? Or someone?”
She just laughs. “I don’t have to answer that.”
“Yeah, okay. So how was he?”
“Meh. I’ve had better.”
I laugh this time.
“What’s up?” she asks.
