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“Except…I don’t feel like I stepped out ofLuke felt… It felt…completely normal Completely wonderful I wasn’t even scared”

“Not at all?”

“Only of the fact that I wasn’t scared If that makes any kind of twisted sense”

“Yes, it does make sense,” Macy says “We all heal in our own individual way, Katelyn What works for Lily or anyone else th that I don’t see in some of the other women”

“I do? I don’t feel strong at all”

“But you are I’ve read your file froth—your will to live—while you were captive That’s soht decisions for you You have that strength That intelligence You have drive, Katelyn Drive to succeed, and that’s why you will be whole again You’re nearly there already”

Nearly there already?

That’s a stretch

A real stretch

I don’t reply to Macy’s comment

Instead, I say, “Thank you for staying late for me”

“I hope to see you next tiroup, Katelyn Or if you want to make an appointment for a private session, I’m always available”

I nod

And I smile

Macy believes in me

Or she ood show of it

14

Luke

Biscotti’s isn’t The Glass House It’s less expensive, for one, which should be a consideration for me but it’s not It is, however, less visible, which is always a consideration for me

So the most beautiful woman in Manhattan to dinner

But someone can’t help himself

What I’ is different

No longer am I a slave to beautiful women or to my own desires No I want to see Katelyn Talk to her Learn about her Get to know her

Sure, if I’m honest, I’d love to take her to bed and screw her senseless I’uy, after all

But I knoon’t

I’h I shouldn’t be doing it at all

I wait outside the restaurant I could go in and tell the o in as a couple

I twistas people scurry by Just another Manhattan evening Everyone’s in a hurry here Always rushing Taxis honk as they weave through traffic If it’s possible, this traffic is even worse than LA At least there are highways that go through LA Here? It’s all congestion all the time

I hate it

But big cities are all I know