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"Are you in love with Kate, Drew?"

My eyes meet Alexandra’s "Yes"

"Is there a chance that she feels the saht about Kate’s words and actions that weekend, theforreal and deep

At least she did before I shot it all to hell

"Do you want to be with her?"

"God, yes"

"Then whether she’s back with her ex or not is irrelevant The question you need to ask yourself is what are you willing to do--willing to risk--to et her back"

AndMy throat is tight as I confess, "I’d give anything to have Kate back"

"Then, for God’s sake, fight for her! Tell her"

As her words sink in, Matthew grips my shoulder "In times like this, I always ask myself, ‘What would Willia Then his voice takes on a Scottish accent he doesn’t have "Aye…run, and you won’t get rejected…but years from noould you be willin’ to trade all the days froo back and tell Kate she can take your balls and hang them from the rearview mirror of her car, but she can never take…your freedom!"

Alexandra rolls her eyes at the Braveheart speech, and I actually laugh The black cloud that’s been sitting onfinally starts to lift In its place is…hope Confidence Deters I’ve been

Matthew set her, ot to lose?"

He’s right Who needs dignity? Pride? They’re overrated When you’ve got nothing, you’ve got nothing left to lose

"I have to go see Kate Right now"

And if I strike out? At least I’ll go doinging If I crash and burn and she grinds my ashes into the dirt with her heel? So be it But I have to try Because…

Well, because she’s worth it

When Alexandra turned sixteen, s Great Adventure for the day Excessive? Yes But that’s one of the perks of a privileged upbringing It esome No lines, no crowds Just our family, some business associates, and a hundred and fifty of our closest friends Anyway, there was this one rollercoaster--the Mind Bender Frigging insane

Remember how I said I never ride the same coaster twice? This was the exception

Matthew, Steven, and I rode it until we puked Then we cliain The first hill was nasty A long, torturous incline that ended in a four-hundred-foot vertical drop--straight freaking down No matter how many times we rode that bad boy--every tiot sweaty, my stomach turned over It was the perfect combination of exciteht now

See h Tiain…I’m pumped about it, I won’t lie But I’m nervous too Because I have no idea what’s on the other side of this hill, how far the drop h crowd You think I got what I deserved? Maybe I still deserve worse?

It’s a coument I fucked up No question about it It was a slureats have them But those days are over now I’aivefro to the security guard and h the empty lobby I use the brief elevator ride up to catchto say Then I step out onto the fortieth floor

There’s only one place Kate Brooks would be at ten thirty on a Monday night And that’s right here, where it all started The offices are dark It’s quiet, except for thefrom her office I walk down the hall and stop outside her closed door

Then I see her Through the glass

Christ Al at the cosevery flawless feature on her face I’veat her You have no idea It feels like…like I’ve been underwater, holding ain

She looks up And her eyes er than necessary? How her head tilts to the side, and her eyes squint? Like she doesn’t quite believe what she’s seeing

She’s surprised Then the surpriserotten And that’s when I know When I’ured out That I a idiot

She didn’t take Warren back There’s no way

If she had? If our weekend had ? She wouldn’t be looking at oddaic: If a wory? It means she cares If you’re in a relationship and a chick can’t even be bothered to yell at you? You’re screwed Indifference is a woman’s kiss of death It’s the equivalent of a man not interested in sex In either case--it’s over You’re done

So, if Kate is upset, it’s because I hurt her And the only reason I was able to do that is because she wanted to be with me

That may seem like a twisted way to think--but it’s the way it is Trustfor If they fucked another guy right after me? Good for theain? Even better You can’t get blood froive a shit

Kate, on the other hand, is overfloith eer, distrust, betrayal--it simmers in her eyes and shines on her face The fact that she still feels soives me hope Because that I can ith

I open the door to her office and walk in Kate looks back to her laptop and hits a few keys

"What do you want, Drew?"

"I need to talk to you"

She doesn’t look up "I’ I don’t have time for you"

I step forward and close her laptop "Make time"

She turns her eyes on me They’re hard Glacial, like black ice