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“Yes,” Eli said softly “I’m so sorry, Caleb If I’d known…”

“If you’d known, I would have run even sooner,” I ad it possible for an toying with ers so that I wouldn’t be tempted to reach for my ars I want to tell you, Eli, but I don’t know if I’m ready yet”

“Caleb…”

He waited until I looked up at hi anywhere”

I felt tears threatening, but I ed to stem them “Promise?” I whispered

Eli’s hand covered one of mine “Promise”

I wasn’t sure what to say next, but Eli took care of that by saying, “So tell me about Jace”

I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my mouth at just the mention of the man’s name

Eli chuckled “So that’s how it is, huh? Mav owes me fifty bucks”

“For what?” I asked with a laugh

“We had a bet going on how long it would take before Jace got his head out of his ass and realized you were it for hiht Jace was going to run again and he’d have to hunt hi him back here and knock some sense into him”

“Really?” I asked as one that far… forfor him? For anyone?” I asked

Eli shook his head before I even finished the question “You’re not a kid, Caleb I wish to hell you were a regular nineteen-year-old whose only concern was getting his ass out of bed everywhich frat party to go to on Friday night I wish you’d had the chance to experience your first kiss, your first tih sex for the first tis were taken fros no adult should ever have to, let alone a little kid I have no doubt you were alwaysto have you guys find each other in so into each other at a coffee shop” Eli eyed me for a moment and added, “Or in your case, in the snack food section of the local grocery store”