“Night, Holden.”
Stay,I thought.Stay with me.
“Night.”
He left. The door clicked shut, and the apartment went quiet except for the soft sound of snow against the windows.
I lay in my bed that still smelled like him and wondered how I was supposed to let him go.
Jamie
The text came at nine-fifteen, while I was still in bed staring at the ceiling.
Brandy:Sunday brunch at the Kettle? Haven't seen you in days, stranger [happy face emoji]
I stared at the screen. Brandy and I had missed each other the last few days at the office, ships passing, and yeah, I guess I did miss seeing her. Marceline was pressed against my side, her warmth the only thing that had helped me sleep. Bubblegum had claimed the foot of the bed, chin resting on my ankle.
The walk home from Holden's had been cold and strange. Snow still falling, Main Street quiet, my footsteps the only sound. I'd replayed the night in my head the whole way. His hands on me, his mouth, the way he'd said my name when he came. The desperation in it, like he was trying to hold onto something slipping through his fingers.
And then:Okay.
When I'd said I needed to leave. When I'd given him the opening to ask me to stay.
Justokay.Nothing else.
I could stay in bed. Pull the covers over my head, let the dogs sleep, spend Sunday feeling sorry for myself. That would be the easy thing.
Fuck easy. I wasn't going to mope over some guy. Not again.
Jamie:Give me 30. Bringing the girls.
I dragged myself up, showered fast, pulled on jeans and a faded Denver Nuggets t-shirt, layered a fleece over it. The dogs watched me with increasing excitement as I grabbed their leashes, then lost their minds entirely when I pulled out their winter jackets, matching red puffer vests that Landon had called ridiculous.
“We're going to town, ladies,” I told them, zipping Bubblegum into her coat. “We're having brunch like successful, mature adults who have their shit together.”
Marceline wagged so hard her whole body shook, clearly having more faith in me than I did.
Outside, the snow from last night had stuck. Just an inch or two, but enough to coat the sidewalks. The morning was brightand cold, the kind of sharp winter day that made your lungs ache as we made our way to the Copper Kettle.
The walk was long enough for the cold to clear my head, for the movement to shake loose some of the weight pressing on my chest. Main Street was quiet for a Sunday, a few families heading toward the bakery, someone walking a husky that Marceline desperately wanted to meet.
Brandy was already in a booth by the window, her red cardigan bright against the gray morning, reading glasses perched on her nose. She looked up when I pushed through the door with the dogs and waved me over with barely contained excitement.
“Guess who just closed on the Morrison place?” She didn't wait for an answer. “Three bedrooms, mountain view, twelve percent over asking. Buyers from Austin, tech money, relocating for the 'quality of life.'” She made air quotes. “They'll last two winters, tops, but their check cleared, so brunch is on me.”
“Congratulations.” I slid into the booth across from her, guiding the dogs under the table. “That's huge.”
“It's the biggest sale I've had all year. I'm treating myself to the eggs benedict and I don't want to hear a word about cholesterol.” She waved at Mags behind the counter. “Coffee for him. Lots of cream and sugar.”
She was already reaching for her mug, ready to launch into details about the closing, when she stopped. Looked at me properly for the first time and frowned.
“Oh.” She set down the mug. “What's wrong?”
“Nothing. I'm fine.”
“Liar.” She took off her reading glasses, which meant she was serious. “Where's Holden?”
The name landed harder than it should have. I focused on getting the dogs settled, making sure their leashes weren'ttangled, straightening Bubblegum's vest where it had bunched up.
