Page 156 of Only Fate

I groan, throwing my head back, as she grinds against me.

“Which gift made it the best?” she asks, dropping her head to kiss my neck.

“All of them. You giving me a second chance, throwing me a party, this business proposal. All of them make me feel like the luckiest man in the world.”

“Well, you make me feel like the luckiest woman in the world, so it seems we make the perfect couple.”

God, she’s perfect.

And she’s giving me the perfect life.

49

Two Months Later

Earl was released from prison a month ago, but we’ve yet to see each other.

I’m standing in line at the local pharmacy when I notice a magazine with his face on the cover. The headline hasINNOCENTwritten in bold writing.

The woman in front of me is rummaging through her purse for a lost coupon. I look over my shoulder when someone steps behind me.

My body freezes when my eyes land on Earl.

It’s not that I’ve been avoiding him. Luck has just been on my side.

Sometimes I’ve considered visiting him, but I was too nervous about how he’d react.

Does he hate me?

Does he blame me?

Plenty of people in his situation would.

I don’t want to be a reminder of his past and the trauma he went through at the hands of my classmates.

He’s wearing a baggy sweatshirt with a Carhartt logo andripped jeans. His attention is on his phone. He doesn’t even notice me.

That changes when the woman in front of me starts cursing because she still can’t find her coupon. She drops her bag onto the counter and starts removing its contents.

He looks at her, then at me, and his eyes widen.

There’s no turning around and pretending I didn’t see him without making it obvious that’s what I’m doing. It’s either I ignore him, talk, or run out of the pharmacy.

“Hello, Essie,” he says, luckily making the first move for me. His voice is kind. There’s no animosity.

“Hi,” I squeak out, playing with my purse strap and tapping my foot.

He slips his phone into his pocket and leans into his cart. “How are you?”

“I’m okay.” I grip the box—my only item—in my hand. “How are you after, uh”—I bite my lip, hating that I sound as nervous as I am—“everything?”

“I’m happy to be home.”

“That’s good. Blue Beech is happy to have you back.” I hope my words don’t sound ungenuine.

Earl was welcomed back to town with open arms. Though it kind of pissed me off with some people. He was treated like shit for so long. A lot of people here owe him a huge apology.

Including me.

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