Page 14 of My Fallen Saint

My shoulders rise and fall as I take a breath. “Yeah, I came back because I need some closure. Facing this town. Facing those ghosts. I think I need this.”

And then, maybe, I can finally let it go.

“Closure,” she repeats, and I nod.

Her smile starts slow, but in the end, it could light up this dim room. “Well, there you go. That’s all I wanted to know.”

And that, I think, is the thing I love most about Brandy—she doesn’t dwell. As soon as something is over, it’s over.

“Should we order food?” She reaches for the bar menu. “Potato skins, maybe, to soak up the alcohol for the next round?”

“Let’s finish these, then go back to your place. We can order pizza.”

“The way to my heart,” she says. “Can we do both a veggie and—Oh.”

“What?” I sit up straighter, as if the tone of her voice is a taut string tugging the top of my head.

“Opportunity knocking. Cute guy at eleven o’clock eyeing you. Other side of the bar.”

“I don’t think I—”

“Just look. You can’t get back in the saddle if you avoid the horses.”

“What does that even mean?” I protest, but I do look, to no avail since my view is obstructed by the intricate shelving unit filled with colorful, shining bottles of spirits.

“Lean this way,” Brandy whispers when I say as much.

I do, then suck in air as I quickly move back to upright, my heart pounding so hard I’m surprised my shirt isn’t vibrating. “That’s him,” I whisper.

“Him? Who?”

“Saint.”

Her eyes go wide. “Seriously?” She starts to lean over to see him better. “No, surely I would have—”

I pull her back.

“It’s him,” I whisper. “He’s looking this way.”

“So go over there. Tell him you can do the interview right now.”

“You really think I should?” But even as I ask the question, I know the answer: Hell yes, I should. If it was a legit conflict, he should be fine with that. And if he’d intentionally blown me off this afternoon? Well, at least I’ll know.

“Go on.”

“Right.” I slam back the last of my drink, then nod. “Okay, then. That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

And I do, too.

Except by the time I get to his side of the bar, Devlin Saint is gone.