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CHAPTER ONE

"The heart was made to be broken"

~Oscar Wilde

PRESENT

SCARLETT

Anton was over at our place, trying to cheer ht with him a Costco-sized bottle of Patrón

It was a good effort

In return for the tequila, I was o well together, but I didn't careI was only partaking in the one

Demi's niece, Olivia, was also over for a sleepoverThis happened whenever ere hoood stretchDemi was a devoted aunt and had a natural ease with children

I was the oppositeThey ood with kids when I'd been one s

Olivia was a lovely little girl, with Derooood care of her

I wondered briefly what that must be like for a kid

The girls were planning to take little Olivia to the zooThey'd invited me, of course, and even Anton, but I was in no mood to be around children, let alone spend a day with one

Besides, I had soht out plans—to stay ho

I was doing a stand up job at it so farNoon had barely co shots

I was in the kitchen, facing Anton across the island

"Because tequila," we toasted and did another

I finished that round first, setting lass down triu his

That hen Olivia skipped up, apparently bored with the cartoons she'd been watching while she waited for everyone to get ready

She leaned against the counter to stare at meShe was a curious, precocious childEveryone within her sphere adored her and she seeuessed no one had ever slapped her for asking the wrong question, so she asked whatever thoughts came to her head

"Hi, Auntie Scar"She beamed at meShe called all of the roootten the ideaFrom Demi, I assumed

"Hi, Olivia," I returned solemnly

As I've said, I'm bad with children

"Hi, Mister Anton," she told Anton

He blinked at her, scratching restlessly at his bearded jaw and looking as uncomfortable as I feltGoodThis was one of thehim aroundWe were so much alike that he had a tendency to make me feel less alone

And at a time like this, particularly, I needed to feel less alone

I was not doing well

This I knew

Not sleepingNot getting dressed unless I had to work

Loafing around e toomyself too much