Page 216 of Cloudy With a Chance of Bad Decisions

“Alex?” My heart skittered as he linked our fingers together, pulled my hand up, and leaned over me so he could kiss along my wrist.

“This was my grandpa’s,” Alex explained between tender presses of dry lips. “Dad gave it to me when I turned sixteen. He’d worn it his entire life until that point.” Another kiss. “Grandpa was dead and gone by that point—a horrible man, if you listen to my dad’s stories. But still…important.”

My heart skipped a beat.

“It was the only nice thing grandpa ever did for him,” Alex murmured, lips skimming up along my palm. “He told him it was a ‘symbol’ of what he expected from him.”

“And your dad…gave it to you.”

“He said it was because I’m important,” Alex replied. “That he wanted to give me the most important thing he owned, so even though he couldn’t be around as much—busy as he was—I’d always know he loved me.”

My eyes were burning. Which was unfair. Because this was Alex’s heart-wrenching story, not mine. And yet…

He kissed each of my fingers, still looming over me.

“He could’ve died,” Alex’s voice cracked. “And he’s okay now—but I can’t…” He pressed his face to my skin, body shuddering. Seeking comfort. From me. Like simply holding my hand, simply seeing the watch on my wrist, was helping. “When it was lost, I kept thinking what if…what if this was all I had of him?”

“Alex.” I didn’t dare hug him. Even though he was quick to offer them, I got the feeling when he felt this…torn apart he didn’t appreciate being huddled. Not the way I did. “I think that’s perfectly understandable, given the circumstances.”

“You do?” Alex clutched my hand to his face, hiding against it, his watch hanging on my wrist.

“It sounds like June isn’t the only one that’s had a rough few months.”

He laughed, but his voice cracked. “Y-yeah.”

And then he curled around my back again, his big frame cuddling up like an overgrown octopus. “Thank you for finding it,” he said softly.

He’d already thanked me.

“I told you not to do that,” I sighed. Alex snickered—lighter this time.

“Whatever guy you date next better treat you so fucking good,” Alex growled. “Or I’ll fly to New York and—” He cut himself off. “I shouldn’t say things like that.”

“Shouldn’t you?” My heart was skipping.

Now, George.

Just tell him.

Tell him how you feel?—

“We should sleep,” Alex deflected. “We’ve got a big day tomorrow. If you want to wake up early with me, we could get ready in June’s cabin together?” He unknowingly interrupted me, his brain back in planning mode. “Otherwise, I’ll hardly see you. There’s too much to do, unfortunately.”

It was our last day together.

Of course I was going to wake up early to spend what time with him I could.

“I want to,” I admitted, ashamed that I’d missed my opportunity once again.

“Good.” Alex squeezed me tight, his earlier sadness forgotten. He cleanedme up with wet wipes he’d stolen from somewhere, making sure I was safe and comfortable before we actually fell asleep.

He left his watch on my wrist.

All night long.

I returned it in the morning, obviously.

But I felt the whisper of its touch.

---