la

had gone on

dding at the right moments, smiling when the convers

stion I needed to know urge

on me? Drug me? Put something in my product, lo

ind the answer in front of the culpri

aid simply. "I need to pr

s voice was warm wit

other," I said plea

, lifting it and pressing his lips to my knuckles

aid. "Once we're married, you won'

properly. I turned and left the resta

ent with the engine idling, my hands

t I wasn't around. I wanted to see for m

t where the shadows swallowed the car whole. I turned the eng

bodies close and easy, the body language of two peopl

glass, but I didn't need to. I wa

s moving close to his ear. Ronan's hand found her waist immediately, pulling her in,

ke they had all the time in the world. My hands tightened

once already, in another life, through a d

still

cheek, the tightening in my throat. I touched my fa

ing? I asked my

maller. Six years wasted on

more. Of handing him pieces of my life and watching hi

derneath everything, that

nd my little sister were about to make love in a p

till tangled. I sat in the dark and watched the windows fog slowly, fe

e version of me that had loved him anyway. T

grieve this rela

re. So I pulled out of

quiet, too small, and too full of the life I had bu

nation where I could cry lo

oned dump

-

nt and walked hurriedly down

the city had stopped maintaining years ago. Waste collected along the s

uman interaction, and all tha

xactly why

waves move under the moonlight, and fi

the band from my hair, letting i

y let my

, my hands covering my face, my whole body shaking with it. For Ronan. For Vivienne. For six years of a

how long I sta

heard f

eyes and tur

chest still rising and falling from the exertion. He was sweating at his temples, and the

n the one beach in the city that no

cou

xactly how I looked-red-eyed, hair everywhere, sitting in the sand of a dum

't read his express

arefully neutral. "Are you crying

on landed

the Vale Group. Everything had to be reduced to work to him. He didn't even see me

ing questions about the report d

aving a breakdown over spreadsheets. Frustration burned t

work-related, so I'd appreciate it if

left my mouth. I had just snapped

y and reprimand. I waited, prepared f

retched on, and he just stood th

said,

es a better job of offe

at him,

ime? The report deadline question-had he said it delib

k silhouette, comple

understan

ver

and exhaled. "I'm sorr

g to find him right there, close enough that I could see his fac

goodne

rly, frustratingly handsome. Even sweaty

had spent three years

t the ocean. "I'm glad to know

y breath, "Like I

ead slightly, o

o hot. "I-sorry.

inely the most awkward moment of m

quickly, "y

quiet. I sometimes try to help clear som

nced

t powerful fortunes in the country-came to a neglected

the rewrite. I can't have a distressed employ

to look

ing my deadline because he had simpl

ou," I said

ers, and looked down at me with that expressi

ong," he said sim

t another word, his figure disappearing into the

ing what to make of this moment. It w

ep inhale. Finally alone with my thoughts, and

d reluc

stran