“Yes,” he said, gesturing for her to take her turn.
“Why is that?” Kristen asked, taking a sip of her milkshake as she reached over and cut the deck, revealing the ten of hearts.
“Because it would have changed everything,” Garrett said, taking his turn after she placed the cards back on the deck, revealing the queen of spades and-
“Are you Emily?”
CHAPTER 23
“Does it matter?” Kristen asked, not quite able to meet his gaze as she reached over and cut the deck again, revealing the jack of clubs.
“You tell me,” Garrett said as he reached over and cut the deck as soon as she placed the cards back, revealing the six of hearts.
“How did you steal my dog?” she demanded, making his lips twitch.
“You haven’t answered my question yet,” he pointed out, finishing his burger while he watched her beautiful blue eyes narrow on him and-
“Skip.”
-told him everything that he needed to know.
“You already know the answer to that,” Garrett said, at her questioning look, he added, “You researched it for a book when we were ten.”
He watched her frown as she thought that over and-
“German,” Kristen said, shaking her head in disbelief as she finished off her milkshake. “And his name?”
“He’s obsessed with blankets,” Garrett said, watching as she absently nodded as she thought that over.
“I had noticed that,” she said, looking lost in thought as she nibbled on a french fry.
“What happened at the end?” he asked, watching her frown in confusion only to go still when he added, “I didn’t get a chance to read the original ending.”
“There was only one ending,” Kristen said as she reached for the cards.
“I see,” Garrett murmured as he watched her reveal the queen of clubs. Never taking his eyes off her, he popped a fry in his mouth before he cut the deck, revealing the king of spades.
“What happened in the original ending?” Garrett asked, placing the cards back on the deck and-
“Skip.”
“What happened to Tristan at the end of the book in the first draft?” Garrett asked, watching as Kristen reached for the cards.
“You already asked your question,” she said, cutting the deck to reveal the seven of spades.
“And you already set the precedent for follow-up questions,” Garrett pointed out, waiting for her to put the cards back before he took his turn, revealing the king of hearts.
“I have a theory,” Garrett said, absently drumming his fingertips against the table while he watched her.
“I’m sure you do, but that isn’t a question,” Kristen said, stealing his Coke.
“Do you want to hear it?” Garrett asked, praying like hell that he didn’t fuck this up.
If he did...
Christ, he didn’t want to think what that would mean, especially after he’d spent the past week struggling to come to terms with everything that he’d lost. Six years of having her in his arms, in his bed, and knowing that she was his. He’d lost six fucking years and he refused to lose one more fucking day.
“Not really, no,” Kristen said as she focused on her fries.
