Page 135 of Luck of the Draw

Her emotions suddenly strangled her. It felt as if the second he pulled away, the beat in her chest would cease. But she also knew time was ticking away, and she needed to let him go.

They released each other, and he held out the envelope.

She glanced at it. “What is that?”

“For you, sweetheart.”

Skye looked at him questioningly, and then took the envelope, unfastened the prongs, and slipped out a thin stack of paperwork.

The top sheet was emblazoned with the state seal, and it was headed in big, bold letters:

LOUISIANA QUIT CLAIM DEED

Below that:

Brennan Atticus Riley, GRANTOR.

Isabel Cochran, GRANTEE.

For valuable consideration, the GRANTOR hereby quitclaims and transfers the following described real estate to the GRANTEE to have and hold forever, located at 504 Royal Street, City of New Orleans, State of Louisiana.

The date was four days prior, and Brennan’s validating signature swept in quick, dark, efficient script at the bottom.

“If you choose to come back to New Orleans when you finish your program, you’ll have a place to live. You’ll have people who already love you and who will look out for you for the rest of your life,” he said, quiet and steady. “If you don’t want to come back, you can sell it and use the money to do every amazing thing I know you’re capable of.”

The text on the deed went blurry. The lump resurfaced in her throat, and Skye lifted her head to look at Brennan. He looked too serene. As though the gesture wasn’t basically the equivalent of him signing his death certificate and handing it to her.

Time was still ticking. There was no stopping any of this.

“I don’t want your house, Brennan. I want…” Panic gripped her. “I want…” She bordered on hyperventilation. “I want—”

“I have to go, baby girl. If you have any questions about it, get a hold of Carson. Just remember, no matter what happens, that house belongs to you.”

Before she could pull together any words, Brennan framed her face with his palms and kissed her like it was the last time he ever would, and then tilted her head sideways so he could speak in her ear.

“The time I’ve spent with you has been the best I’ve ever had. I am going love you for the rest of my life, Skye. Whether that’s sixty minutes or sixty years. I love you. I always will. That will never change.”

He turned and marched toward the door, twisted the knob and pulled it open, when unprecedented clarity stripped the veil off her dysfunctional mind and heart, and she called out after him.

“Brennan, I love you, too.”

He stopped and stood motionless for a beat before he turned to look at her with eyes that were tinged red. His shoulders lifted and fell as he took a breath. There was no time left, and everyone—including hisparents—was staring, and he had to go, but she darted across the room and grabbed the lapels of his suit jacket to stop him for just a few more seconds.

“I love you. I do. I am really fucked up, Brennan, and I need alotof help before I am a stable, functional, mentally and emotionally healthy person, but I amnottoo fucked up to know that I love you. All of my shit doesn’t get to take that from me, too.” She pressed her lips together for one whole second to stifle a sob. There were only precious seconds, and she couldn’t waste them letting herself cry. “I know. I know I love you. I know it deep in my bones and in the core of my soul. I know I’m going to love you for the rest of my life, too. You are a dream that I don’t want to wake up from.”

His eyes glittered with a thick sheen of tears, but they all remained welled up on the rims of his eyes. He rolled his lips between his teeth. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. He dipped his head and kissed her one more time. One last time. At least, it really felt like that.

And then he stepped through the door and closed it behind him.

34

AVONDALE, LOUISIANA

Brennan pulled his car into the lot of the restaurant, and he was instantly drowning in déjà vu. He shifted into park and then gripped the wheel with both hands, sucking in a breath and blowing it out in a quick puff of air before climbing out.

She loves me. No matter what happens, she loves me.

It was enough.

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