Page 200 of Puck Me Back to Life

I blink. “Waffles?”

He nods. “I really want waffles.”

A laugh escapes me before I can stop it. “That's the emotional takeaway from all of this?”

He shrugs. “I cried a lot and I'm hungry.”

I shake my head, smiling despite myself. “I think you've earned waffles.”

His mouth finally twitches into a genuine smile. The sight is enough to make my chest ache.

I lean forward and press a kiss against his forehead.

His eyes close automatically. The gesture feels every bit as intimate as kissing his mouth. When I pull back, I keep one hand resting lightly against the side of his face.

“One condition.”

His expression immediately becomes suspicious. “What?”

“You call your therapist today.”

His smile fades, but only because he's thinking. Not because he's shutting down. I can practically see him weighing whether to argue. Finally, he nods. “Okay.”

“I'm serious.”

“I know.”

“No putting it off.”

“I won't.”

“You promise?”

Kai sighs dramatically. “I promise.”

Only then do I step away. “Good.”

Kai has his therapy appointment in a little over an hour, and we decide to stop by his place first so he can change into something that doesn't smell like sweat and tears.

He unbuckles his seat belt as soon as I park. “I'll only be a minute.”

“I know.”

We climb out together. The morning air is cool enough that Kai instinctively tucks his hands into the pockets of my hoodie. He's still wearing it. I don't point it out.

I just enjoy it.

Kai fishes his keys from his pocket while I carry the leftovers from breakfast in one hand. We round the corner toward his apartment.

Then both of us stop.

Dante is standing directly outside Kai's front door.

He's walking down the hall with his phone in one hand and a to-go coffee in the other, like this is the most normal place in the world to be.

He looks up. “Oh.”

His eyebrows climb. “Hey.”