I nod and whisper, “Okay.”
“I love you, Lowe. And I’m so sorry.”
Levi places a gentle kiss to my forehead before stepping back, spinning on his heel. He walks toward the front door, grabbing his coat off the hook before turning to look at me again, as if for the last time. He gives me a small, sad smile, tears slipping down his cheeks, and then turns around and leaves my apartment. The second the door latches shut behind him, my knees give out fromunder me and I collapse to the floor, only the sound of my sobs to keep me company.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
A TUESDAY IN JANUARY
Levi
I’m trying to be patient but I can’t stand the silence.
Me
I need more time.
Claire loved the presents.
Levi
I wish I could’ve been there to see her open them.
I’m sorry, that’s not fair.
Me
For what it’s worth, I wish you could’ve, too.
I probably shouldn’t ask you this, but please be patient with me.
Levi
I said it once and I’ll say it again:
I’m not going anywhere.
“So wait,” Blue says with a shake of her head, her brows furrowing in confusion. “Cole turned himself in?”
I nod. “He claimed responsibility for the accident so they arrested him. They’re still undergoing an investigation, but he’s being detained until further notice.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I’m the last person who can make sense of it.” I run my hands through my hair. “I’ve been a mess and can barely keep everything straight. I mean, Cole was involved in the crash that killed my father and sister, Levi helped cover it up, and I found out late last week that it was Travis who broke into Levi’s place. It’s like I’m in a fever dream.”
“Wait, are you serious?” Blue stares at me with wide eyes, her mouth hanging open slightly as we sit together on my living room couch. “I knew Travis was trouble, but I never thought he’d do something like this.”
“I’m still struggling to wrap my head around it,” I tell her honestly, staring at my hands that are intertwined in my lap. “I never really knew him, did I?”
Blue scoots closer, resting a hand on my thigh as she sits cross-legged beside me. “Honey, don’t do that. You can’t blame yourself for holding onto hope. I know I gave you a hard time, but your optimism is something I’ve always admired, even if it drove me nuts sometimes.”
“And my optimism is what got us into this mess in the first place.” I sigh, falling back against the cushions, and stare up at the ceiling. “I just… if I had called the cops the first time he broke that restraining order, he wouldn’t have broken into Levi’s place.”
“Or he would’ve found someone else to do it for him,” Blue counters, reaching for my hand and giving it a squeeze. I lift my head, looking at my best friend. “Don’t blame yourself for his decisions.”
I swallow the lump in my throat and close my eyes briefly, nodding my head. “Levi has bent over backwards and been such a godsend to Claire and I. He deserved better from me, honestly. It should’ve never come to this.”
“If it makes you feel any better, you can consider yourselves even.” I give her a disbelieving stare to which she shrugs. “I’m just saying. You both made decisions with your hearts instead of your heads that unknowingly hurt one another. Seems like you’re square to me.”
