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He didn’t just take s and I had no words, just tears Cupping the sides of my face, he brushed them aith a smile The more I looked at hi—all the pain we had gone through just to get there—played in my mind, and I realized maybe it wasn’t just love between us, but fate

“Okay,” I finally o of my suitcase

“Thank you,” he whispered over my lips, and I knew the moment his lips were

on mine…it had to be fate

It had to be him

Eli

Neither of us had said a word since leaving the airport, and it wasn’t as easy as taking her hand and running off She had to pick up Taigi and postpone—not cancel—her trip She pro and I would have been lying if I’d said I was fine Part ofthe unavoidable

“I’ll get some wine,” I told her e stepped inside my flat She didn’t reply, just took a seat on the couch as Taigi curled into a ball at the base of it Leaning over, she stroked his fur softly Grabbing two glasses and two bottles, I ht beside her

“Are you trying to getup

“Yes,” I adlanced at me The look in her brown eyes was different fro ht up in the moment “We have our best conversations e are in the process of getting drunk”

Uncorking one of the bottles, I filled her glass and thenback into the couch behind me

Again, silence

It was killing me She wasn’t the silent type; she was a rauessed it was up to me

“What are you afraid of?” I asked as I drank

“You can’t be serious,” she replied, still not drinking, just staring at the glass