Page 134 of Butter My Biscuit

“I’ll be right there,” Harrison says. “Ten minutes, max. Promise.”

Stephanie nods and leaves us be because she trusts us, which she should. Neither of us will cross that line.Ever.

“Nice suit,” I say, looking at him from head to toe, taking a step away from him, creating much-needed space.

“Still wearing my favorite color,” he says, giving me that asshole smirk.

I move my gaze from him, focusing on the moonless sky and twinkling stars. The crowd of people down below laugh and cheer as the music blasts. Stephanie wanted a full experience, and I accomplished that, working nonstop on this project. Tonight, my job is done. Tomorrow, there will beI dos, and then it will all be over.

He leans against the railing, looking down at the street, then pulls a flask from inside his suit pocket and takes a swig. Then, he hands it to me.

I drink and smile. “American Honey.”

“Does the job every time,” he explains.

The night is still, and the party downstairs echoes throughout the streets.

“Sounds like a lot of people are having a good time down there.” I hand the flask back.

“Good for them,” he says.

I laugh and look at my best friend. “You should be having fun too.”

“I am.”

His arm brushes against mine, and those stupid butterflies still flutter, and they need to go back to their cage.

“Do you …” I shake my head.

“Ain’t nothing stopping this runaway train, Gracie. Might as well say what’s on your mind.”

I fully turn my body toward him, leaning my back against the railing so we’re facing one another. “Do you think things could’ve been different?”

“With us? Yes.” He doesn’t hesitate. “Anything else you want to share before tomorrow?”

I smile. “There’s that asshole personality I’ve been missing so much.”

“You promised,” he whispers.

“And I’m keeping my promises,” I state. “All of them, and I’m doing what best friends do. I’m supporting this, and then I’m moving.”

His mouth falls open. “You’re leaving Valentine?”

“I told you once before I’d move for love.” I take a deep breath.

The silence is thick.

“You’re running away,” he states.

“Kinda like how you ran away in Hawaii,” I say to him, knowing he left before I woke up on purpose.

There was no discussion afterward, and just like that, he was gone. Like fully giving every inch of ourselves to each other hadn’t happened.

His nostrils flare, and I see the flicker in his eyes. Not even he can erase the memory of what we did, of how we burned ourselves to ash together and destroyed everything. I surely fucking can’t.

The silence nearly slices me in two, and the moment passes by much quicker than it arrived. And the conversation dies, something to never be discussed.

“I should probably get going.” He lifts his hand to my face and softly rubs his thumb against my cheek. “Best friends forever.”

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