Page 127 of Before Dawn

I laughed. “That’s exactly what Arnoldo said.”

“Of course he did.” He chuckled, shaking his head. Then his expression softened. “Happiness looks good on you.”

I swallowed hard. “Thanks, brother.” I met his gaze, my voice quieter. “It looks good on you, too.”

He sighed, and for the first time tonight, his shoulders didn’t look so tense.

When we reached his building, I helped him out of the car, then headed home, already reaching for my phone.

Me:I’ll come see you in the morning.

I stared at the message for a second before locking my phone.

Morning couldn’t come fast enough.

Chapter twenty-seven

Abigail-Ann

“In the end, we discover that to love and let go can be the same thing.”

~ Jack Kornfield

Igroaned as sunlight streamed through the gaps in the blinds, stabbing my eyes the moment I dared to open them. My head throbbed—a blunt reminder of last night’s one-too-many drinks. A muffled knock sounded at the door, pulling me from bed.

I shuffled to the door and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror: a disheveled mess in a pair of shorts and a bra, my hair sticking out in all directions. I grimaced, but opened the door anyway.

“Good morning,” Mikkel greeted me, an energetic smile on his face. He held up a brown paper bag, a bouquet of primroses, and a bottle of something that looked suspiciously like an energy drink. “Thought you might need these.”

“Thank you.” I stepped aside to let him in, my brain too foggy to muster a proper greeting. “What’s in the bag?”

“Breakfast,” he said, setting the bag on the kitchen counter. “Bagels, cream cheese, some fruit, a couple of those hangover cure shots from the convenience store, flowers and something we’ll look at later.”

Something we’ll look at later?I didn’t question it, but I made a mental note to ask him about it.

“You’re a lifesaver,” I mumbled, already tearing into a bagel. “These are perfect.”

He watched me with amusement as I took my first bite. “You drank too much.”

“Yeah,” I said, my mouth full.

“Next time,” he said, his tone turning serious, “let’s find other ways to sublimate.”

“Right, and thank you. I woke up tucked into bed, makeup off, and out of that dress, so thank you.”

“You’re always welcome,” he replied.

“I’m gonna shower,” I said, finishing my bagel.

“Take your time,” he replied.

After a quick shower, I threw on some shorts and a top. I headed into the living room and settled on the sofa next to him.

“I haven’t taken you out in a bit,” Mikkel mused, biting into a bagel. “And I haven’t planned anything either.”

“Things are good how they are,” I said softly.

It was still hard to believe I deserved more than what I was used to. The shift—from being lusted to being truly loved—felt almost too big to grasp.

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