She laughed through her tears. “I have no idea why. I’m a mess.”
I kissed the top of her head again, just so thankful to have her in my arms. “I know you said this is your favorite part of the story. You know, the part where everyone’s sad and you get to write some kick-ass line... but I’m taking my turn.”
She looked up at me, her beautiful brown eyes waiting.
“The only thing being single guarantees you is time alone, but you deserve so much more than that. You deserve someone who will wake up next to you and smile just because they get to see your face. You deserve someone who will worship your bodyandyour soul. You deserve someone to sit in the living room with you, reading books on a rainy day. And you deserve to know that you deserve all those things, not because of what you look like or what you do, but because ofwho you are. And who you are is pretty damn incredible to me.”
She smiled and hugged me tight, resting her cheek against my chest. “That was pretty ‘kick ass.’”
I laughed, finally relaxing enough to breathe in deep. “I’m here for you, Mara. I want you to be mine. Only mine.”
She looked up at me, resting her chin on my chest. “I’m yours.”
36
Mara
Confession: I want happily ever after with Jonas Moore.
We heldeach other until the security technician came out and told us the install was complete. I’d almost forgotten about the letter completely until I bent to pick up the mail. My dad’s handwriting was staring at me, his letter right on top.
Jonas looked over my shoulder and asked, “Do you want to read it inside?”
I slowly nodded. He held my hand tightly as we walked into the house. I’d never noticed before how perfectly our hands fit together. I set the mail on my table and began brewing a pot of coffee. At this point in the day, it was more for comfort than anything else.
Jonas waited silently while the pot began gurgling.
“I might need something stronger than this,” I said, still looking at the coffee pot.
“Agreed,” he replied.
I got out a bottle of spiced rum and eyeballed a shot into my coffee cup. I drank it. Then I took another, savoring the burn in my throat, the warming of my insides. Then I filled the cup with coffee and splashed in just a little bit more.
“I need to read the letter,” I decided out loud, sitting next to Jonas. “If I don’t, I’ll be wondering what it says until it eats me alive.”
He nodded. “I’m here for you.”
I set my cup down with shaky hands and took an even shakier breath. I picked up the envelope, and it felt flimsy in my hands. There was nothing inside except a piece of paper, that much I could tell.
My name was written on the front. Mara Taylor. But that was it. No address, because he’d placed the envelope here himself. He knew where I lived.
I slowly ripped up the flap until I could reach the paper inside. Jonas looked over my shoulder as I read the words.
Mara,
I’d like to speak with you. I know I don’t have a right, but if there’s any way you can come to 4582 Willow Lane in LA between one and three on Friday the 24th, I’d appreciate it.
There wasno signature to the letter, almost like he couldn’t quite decide what to call himself. Dad felt wrong. His first name too familiar. He was a stranger. A villain in a past I tried so hard to forget.
I read it over again, and Jonas spoke my thoughts out loud. “That’s today.”
I nodded, typing the address into my phone. LA was an hour away from my house, and it was nearly half-past one. My map said if we left now, we could be there in fifty minutes. That would give us about half an hour to talk, but why would we need to?
“Where is it?” Jonas asked.
I zoomed in, thinking it was probably some crummy apartment building. What I saw instead surprised me.
Free Hearts Rehabilitation Facility