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The buzzing wouldn’t stop I hid under the covers, clinging to sleep and wishing Alli would answer the goddaht I was back at my own apart no signs of Sid other than the generalthrough the speaker

I smiled "Come on up, Marie," I said and buzzed her in I opened the door and set toat the clock on the stove I had rumbled Coffee first Marie joinedfresh in a floralwith her enviable skin tone

"Wow, nice place" She surveyed thearea, which now looked a lot less empty since the furniture had arrived Sid had asse while I hich I hadn’t been able to thank hih We were probably on the sa it," I said "Coffee?"

"Water’s fine" She hopped up on a stool by the counter and dropped her purse and a shopping bag to the floor

"You look like hell, Erica Is everything all right?"

I sighed, feeling as haggard as I probably looked "Long night and long story I’ll spare you the details," I said, willing the coffee to drip faster I needed a few extra ure outabout it "What’s new? Any updates with Richard?"

"Oh, I don’t know" She shrugged, taking the water glass frooes, I suppose"

"I’ainst the counter to face her Marie had spent years on the dating circuit, and I was used to hearing about every new beau’s husband potential She was a kind heart, but couldn’t ever seeht Heaven knew she was a hopeless roood relationshipour freedoe your life for solass on the countertop "Sometimes I miss the days when I could lose myself in someone completely, and he’d do the same"

"That doesn’t exactly sound healthy"

"Maybe not always, but it’s intoxicating There’s nothing quite like it You should try it sometime" She winked at me

"Unfortunately, I think I’m knee deep in it at theshe didn’t know half of my recent history with Blake "Yeah Mystery man Blake is his name He lives upstairs, actually"

She frowned at ?"