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I know she’s standing behind ain, I try to explain away the fact that I’ve ain

"I left early this ," I say with my back still turned to her, "because I was afraid your nant Then when I went for ain and realized her car wasn’t even home and remembered you said she does those trade days every roceries because I wanted to cook you breakfast I also alroceries for lunch and dinner, but maybe we should take it one meal at a time today"

I turn around to face her and I don’t know if it’s because I’ve spent the last feeeks having to be so far away fro I’ve ever laid eyes on I look her up and down, recognizing that this is the first ti before What the hell is she trying to do tonot to show her just how flustered I a at her in that outfit "I really like that dress I bought real lass and pour her some milk, then slide it to her She eyes thethose lips and that mouth andshit

"I need to kiss you," I say, walking swiftly to her I take her face in ht, I’" I expect her to resist, but she doesn’t Instead, I’rabsthat she still wants hI still have a chance with her?

That I’ll still get to kiss her like this?

It’s almost too"Nope Didn’t dreaain so that I can stop concentrating on her h to make her a plate of food I have so much I need to say to her and I don’t even knohere or how to start I fix our plates and walk them to the bar where she’s seated

"Are we allowed to play Dinner Quest, even though it’s breakfast tiet the first question"

She isn’t s She hasn’t smiled for me in over a month I hate that I’m the reason she doesn’t smile anyabout just letting you have all the questions," I say

"I only need the answer to one," she says

I sigh, knowing for a fact she needs more than just one answer But the fact that she only wants the answer to one question leads me to believe she’s about to ask me about the bracelet And that’s the one question I’ to share the answer to just yet

She leans forward in her chair and I bracehave you been using drugs, Holder?"

I i that to have been her question at all It comes from so far out of left field that I keep my eyes locked with hers, but the randoh Maybe I should be disturbed by the fact that ht, but instead I feel nothing but relief

I’er in her eyes is adorable It’s adorable and beautiful and honest and I’ htforward right now, but daives way and I laugh Her eyes grow angrier, which onlyto stop, but the more I think about how much this has affected us the entire last h even harder "You think I’e at all She’s pissed I hold hter until I’ht face I lean forward and take her hand in s, Sky I promise I don’t knohy you would think that, but I swear"

"Then what the hell is wrong with you?" she snaps

Shit I hate the look on her face She’s hurt Disappointed Exhausted I’m not sure which part ofto, but I honestly have no idea how to answer that What is wrong withwith ue?" I ask her

She shrugs "Sure What happened to us and why are you acting like it never happened?"

Da that happened between us under the rug? I want to tell her everything I want to tell her how much she means to me and how this has been one of the hardest months of my life I want to tell her about Les and her andhurts that she doesn’t renificant part of her life?

Maybe Les and I weren’t as significant to her as I thought I look down atshe reain, if she re behind this tattoo She’d know that I let her down She’d re that’s happened in her life for the last thirteen years is a direct result of me

I look her in the eyes and answer her with the ive her "I didn’t want to let you down, Sky I’ve let everyone down in my life that’s ever loved me, and after that day at lunch I knew I let you down, too SoI left you before you could start loving me Otherwise, any effort to try not to disappoint you would be hopeless"

Her eyes cloud with disappointain, but I can’t tell her Not right now Not until I know for sure that she’ll be okay