Page 103 of Here's to Yesterday

Her eyes shine in the moonlight that’s spilling in through the open window, and she nods, letting my leggo.

Pulling my jeans back on, I pad down the hall toward the bathroom. I hear my mother sobbing in her room. A part of me—the one that isn’t half naked with a full condom on—wants to stop and comfort her. The other part—the asshole part that sort of resents her—doesn’t.

The asshole part wins thisround.

I make quick work in the bathroom and head back to my old room. When I walk back in, I find a now dressed Maura lying on her back in the middle of the bed, staring out the window. She seems sad andthoughtful.

She must sense that I’m there because she doesn’t look my way when shespeaks.

“I’m not sure how to move on from this,” she sayssoftly.

A pain shoots through my heart at her words so sharp that I grab at my chest where my tattoo of the black hole is.Howfitting.

She continues. “I’ve been crying all day, that much you know. But I’ve been crying for all the wrong reasons. I’m sad that Tanner died. So, so sad. But I’m more heartbroken over us.” She finally turns her head my way, piercing me with her gaze. “How dowemove on from this?Canwe?”

I gulp loudly, not quite expecting that to be what she was meaning. She scoots over, inviting me to come laybeside her. Getting into bed, I lie on my side, curling my arm up under my head and matching herpose.

“I don’t know, Maura,” I say quietly. “I honestly don’tknow.”

She doesn’t say anything, picking at a loose string on the quilt beneath us. I watch multiple emotions run over her face. Sadness, happiness, hope,love.In the end, she still looks confused andunsure.

“I think that may be theproblem.”

I don’t want to know what that means for our future. Despite what’s happened and how shitty I feel about my relationship with Tanner and his death, Istillwant to be with Maura. I stillneedto be with her. I know that she’s it forme.

She’s myendgame.

Maura closes her eyes, the skin between her brows pinched together like she’s in pain. “I think maybe we should take timeapart.”

I don’t say anything, because that’s definitely not what I want. But I’d give Maura the world if I could, and since I can’t, I’ll give her this one thing she needs.Time.

Wrapping my arm around her, I pull her close, placing a soft kiss to herforehead.

“Whatever you need, Maura,” I tell her, my lips brushing against her soft skin with every word. “I’ll be here for whatever youneed.”

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