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In his way, Chance had been every bit as messed up as I was He probably still was, but I wouldn’t hold it against him “So then…why did you—”

“Ask you out?” he finished “It was the oddest thing I tried to explain it to you once before, that click I heard your drawl, saw your s in irl, or I felt like I should I had to see you again I told myself I’d be careful”

“So you were trying to protect me”

He nodded “Later, I thought if I kept the e hurt”

“I don’t condone how you handled things, but I understand”

“That’s the best I could hope for”

“And I guess my accident proves you did love me, after all By the end”

He closed his eyes “I tried so hard not to My love kills, Corine But you were so sweet, so…”

“Gullible?”

“Irresistible I couldn’t help , when I fell headlong for you—”

“I fell too Literally”

“I’m so sorry”

“It’s okay,” I said

And it was The past was no longer a thorn in my soul

I had a lot to think about, but everything made sense now Froot serious—e—but he hadn’t acted out of malice His head was all fucked up at the ti to do as best And estion that I needed soht at first It was only later that I wanted more

Now I’d given him reason to doubt me Did that make us even?

Then I added, “I won’t ain if you’d rather not”

“It’s not Lily, per se Just how badly I failed her”

Yeah He wouldn’t be here, if he’d known the risks, if she’d gotten regular cleansings Such a s, but for want of the horseshoe nail, and all that Most likely, he’d beas a stockbroker or a day trader, while his ith the beautiful singing voice ministered to the unfortunate Instead, he had an inert Chihuahua and me That illustrated perfectly how unfair life could be

Sweetness and Light

“It’s pretty clear neither one of us is perfect,” Chance said “We’ve both screwed up At this point, we have to decide what to do about it”

“Do you believe I can do better?”

“Do you think I can?”

“Yes,” I said without hesitation

“Then let’s start there” He pushed to his feet, weariness in everya shower” He paused “You’re lucky, you know If I had ood”

“Let’s hear it for exhaustion” I listened to the water running in the bathroo ti politely on the door, and it wouldn’t wake ood reason

“Sybella grows impatient,” it said

“Any trouble?”

“It was quiet until the summons”

“Awesome”

“I a suitable to your station in the wardrobe”

Suitable to ant and uncomfortable as hell

“I need tiet ready”

“I will pass the e to Gilder” Its footsteps trailed away

I raised up on one elbow and found Chance gazing at h that I couldn’t reht Or day Whatever we’d slept through

I made a conscious choice to move toward him He met me halfway and his arms slipped around me, as they had so many times before I didn’t stifle the memories this tiht he was the best thing ever to happen to ain

“You feel so good,” he whispered

“You too”

He buried his face inhis cheek slowly side to side I wondered then: Did love ever truly die? I stroked his back and held hi the moment

“Sad as it sounds, this is the happiest I’ve been since you left me”