Page 70 of The Last Dance

‘Henry sent it about six months ago. I sent it back to him, but he only sent it right back, so I shoved it in here with the rest of them.’

‘Ambri, he probably went to a lot of trouble to get that. It’s notjustsigned. It’s made outtoyou. He probably met Brad at some point and this is what he asked him for.Whilehe was dating someone else, I might add.’ She looks through a few records. ‘Infusion, Infusion, Infusion, Billy Idol, Billy Idol.’ She laughs. ‘He boughtallthese, didn’t he? He’s the only one that ever played into your ridiculous musician obsession. Especially this one…’ She holds up one of the Billy Idol records. ‘Surely you’ve grown out of Billy?’

‘Are you kidding?’ I make my way into the back of my closet, pulling out the life-size cardboard cut-out Henry gave me one year for my birthday. I set it on the floor in front of Claire, who bursts out a laugh. ‘He’s a legend. Look at him! He’s not exactly some troll with a bunch of old songs. He’s, like, forever hot.’ I make my way back to the bed, sitting on the edge.

‘First of all, I can’t believe you still have this thing. Why did you hide away everything that he’s given you?’

‘Because I had to forget him, Claire. Seeing him all over my apartment was killing me.’

Claire frowns. ‘Listen…’ she walks to where I’m sitting on the edge of the bed ‘… I think it’s about time you and Henry have a real talk. You owe it to yourself, don’t you think?’

‘I’m actually tryingnotto think about exactly that. I don’t know what’s up with him, but this morning he was almost the Henry I used to know. He was…sonice.’

‘Were you?’

I nod. ‘I think so, before I ran out, that is.’ I stare over at Billy. ‘The thing is, I don’t know how to feel about him being the Henry I knew. I don’t knowhowto let him back in or if I even want to. I don’t know how to trust him again.’

‘Call him.Meet up for lunch and talk. Talk to him about the website too. It can’t hurt. It’ll give you a chance to figure out how you feel.’

‘I’m kinda voted out by all you guys so I guess I’m gonna have to.’ And here I thought I was better with peer pressure than I so obviously am.

‘Do you mind if I borrow this?’ She takes the signed record from the bed where I left it.

I shrug. ‘Sure. I didn’t know you were an Infusion fan, but you will be once you listen to it.’ I laugh, walking over to the closet to start finally packing even though I really don’t want to. While the rest of my life is in shambles, my life with Noah is supposed to just be beginning. I should probably figure out if that’s actually what I want. Soon.

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