He shook his head. “Too buzzed.”
She nodded, serious for a second. “I’m glad.” She stood, wobbled, and leaned in to hug him, her chin pressing against his shoulder. “Love you, Dyl.”
He hugged her back tightly. “Love you too, Daze.”
Then she was gone, stumbling up the stairs toward her old bedroom where her wife was already asleep. Her kids asleep in his old room.
Dylan stared at the quiet room for a long moment. The soft clink of bottles in his hands filled the silence as he walked them to the kitchen. He rinsed them out, set them in the bin under the sink, then came back and turned off the TV.
The house felt different at night.
Softer. Older.
He sank into the couch, kicked off his shoes, and laid back against the cushions with a sigh.
His phone lit up beside him— just a notification from a sports app.
But for a split second, his heart jumped, thinking it might be her.
Ali.
Her name alone made something thrum low in his chest.
He turned off the lamp, darkness settling around him. But even with his eyes closed, sleep wouldn’t come right away.
Not when her voice was still in his head.
Not when his whole body still remembered the words she’d sent.
And not when his heart— after all this time— was finally starting to believe they might get it right
Dylan had just started to drift. Body heavy. Mind fighting off memory.
But something made him open his eyes.
Then he saw her.
Sitting on the loveseat, knees pulled to her chest, face streaked with tears.
“Daisy,” he groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. “What's wrong?”
She flinched. “I’m sorry. I just… I couldn’t sleep.”
“Clearly.”
She stared at him, glassy-eyed. “Do you ever think about her?”
He sat up fast. “Don’t.”
“I need to say it.”
“We had a deal.”
“I lied.” Her voice cracked. “I’ve been lying since college.”
He stood, shaking his head. “Nope. Not tonight.”
But she surged forward, grabbing his wrist. “Dylan, please.”
