Page 160 of A Dangerous Kind of Love

“Just think about it.”

She stands up. “What time do we need to be at the funeral home?”

“Noon,” I tell her.

“What time is it?”

I look at my watch. “Eleven fifteen.”

“We should go.”

“Okay.”

I stand up, and she starts walking. I fall in step beside her. Halfway back her hand finds mine, and she doesn’t let go.

Chapter 57

Katie

We arrive at the funeral home a few minutes early. Luca drove. The partition was up, but the silence had nothing to do with privacy. I sat on one side, Michael on the other, staring out the window and trying not to think about any of it—my mom, planning her funeral, or the future he’d just placed in front of me.

“You ready?” he asks, reaching for my hand.

“No,” I say, and he squeezes it.

“I’ll be right next to you,” he says. “I can talk if you need me to, or I can sit quietly. Whatever you need.”

I nod. “Okay.”

“Come on, Doll.”

He opens his door, and I slide across the seat. He helps me out, not letting go of my hand. When I look up at the entrance, Sarah’s standing there.

I glance at him.

“I thought you’d want her here.”

My throat tightens. “Thank you.”

I let go and walk toward her. Guilt hits hard. I was awful to her yesterday. I didn’t think she’d even want to see me, but she runs and pulls me into her arms.

“I’m so sorry,” I say, the words breaking apart as I start to cry.

“No,” she says. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have acted like that.”

She pulls back, brushing her hand over my cheek. We’re both crying. I turn and Michael is waiting a few steps away.

“He called me this morning,” she says.

I don’t even know when he would have done that.

“Hey, Sarah.”

“Hey,” she says to him.

I hold out my hand to him, and he steps up taking it.

“Should we go in?” Sarah asks.