Page 28 of 7 Dirty Lies

I reached up to touch him one last time.His face fit against my hand so perfectly.His freshly shaved jaw soft against my skin, sending a little sizzle of warmth into me.“I’m glad I could help you as much as you helped me.Be good toyourself.”

He leaned into my touch.“I have somethingforyou.”

I’ll admit that made me panic a little.He pulled out an envelope, pressing it into my hand.“A promise.My reservation is already a done deal.Same week next year.I’m looking forwardtoit.”

He took my face in his hands and kissed me fiercely.Desperately.“See you soon,” he whispered.Then walked away withoutlookingback.

I stared after him until he disappeared.I couldn’t move.I was too broken.I didn’t understand how it was possible, but it felt like part of my heart had just walked away.There was an empty space inside me that didn’t exist before IknewColt.

“What do you have there, Princess?”Ted chirped as he came around the corner, his hand tucked insideCharley’s.

I quickly opened the envelope and checked.Sure enough it was a copy of a reservation for next year.Colt’s name was at the top, but his last name and credit card information had all been blackened out.In the blank space hewrote:

Ipromise.

-Colt

And then at the verybottom:

In case of emergency: [email protected]

I quickly tucked it into my bag, blinking back tears.“Nothing, don’t worry about it.”It’s just the sweetest fucking thing anyone has ever doneforme.

Colt didn’t know it, but he’d just knocked me off my feet with one littlegesture.

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