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I giggled “Told you”

We reenitalia-the while Ti our bodies heavy with sleep, and it took an enormous effort from me to scoot up and roll onto my side so I could comfortably face him

I said it in a hush “Can I ask you so?”

He had his hands on his chest, fingers laced together, and his head lolled toward me I wasn’t sure if it was a nod, but I went ahead like it had been

“It’s none of my business, and you don’t have to answer, butare you still in love with Jillian?”

This was the last question he expected to hear, and his lips parted to speak, yet all that came out was a breath Then he blinked and shook his head “No I cared about her, but I was never in love I can’t iine she was in love with me either” Concern rapidly overtook his expression “Why? What’d she tell you?”

A strange sensation like relief flooded throughup on her

I tucked a hand under ed into a white polo shirt and a pair of slacks, and he looked so fucking good, I could hardly stand it

“She didn’t say s, and you guys stayed friends afterward” In an to crumble “I couldn’t stay friends with any of my exes I don’t talk to them anymore”

“That’s probably because what you had with your exes was real” Perhaps exhaustion was doing the sanetic They suckedin my life has been manufactured,” he said softly, “so I’ve never had a chance at love” He rolled his shoulders towardeach other “Fuck, I don’t think I’ve ever even had a real relationship”

He’d grown up with the world at his feet, but also crushed under the weight of enorrown to pity her as well The snarky ‘poor, little rich girl’ mentality I’d had for her had become real

She wasn’t free, and Vance wasn’t either