Page 93 of Phobia
Staring blankly at Toby, clearly horrified, he took pity on me. “Don’t worry, sir.” He smiled and pulled a card out of his own pocket. “Your father has me carry one of his for him.” Numb, my gaze flickered to the card in his hand, head spinning as he turned to the attendant and paid for my meal.
And when I arrived home, when I sat alone at the dining room table, my meal for two untouched, I realized what exactly had happened. My empty back pocket taunted me.
I reached inside it for the second time that day, and the cold sliver of a chain tickled my fingertips. With a curious tug, I pulled out the necklace I’d seen dangling around Oliver’s neck every day for the weeks that I’d known him. I’d gazed at it as I fucked him only hours ago, the heat of his body sucking me in and promising forever. Hanging from the simple silver chain was a moon stone. Worth less than the meal that sat on the table in front of me, but priceless, all the same.
The white stone flickered with light, opaline. Simple. A children’s toy, really. But it was Oliver’s, and clearly he’d held it dear. I knew him well enough to understand that there was a reason he’d left this for me. It wasgoodbyeas much as it wasthank you. The necklace flickered in the light, innocent, but the meaning behind its presence was not lost on me. If he had not cared for me, he would not have left this behind. Something akin to hope flared bright in my chest.
Oliver was gone.
And he’d taken a lot more than my wallet with him.
I laughed.
END OF PART ONE
