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But everything had changed He’d changed Hell, he couldn’t even think of her not in his life

All he wanted was a certain dark-haired girl with vibrant blue eyes, who snited a passion inside of hiht him to his knees

He loved her, loved herelse in the world, and that reality, that epiphany, slammed into him so hard he sucked in a breath

“Are you okay?” she asked, and for a moment he was dazed that the shock of howentity inside of him

He cleared his throat and blinked back into focus, staring out at the football field “I’ood” He exhaled and felt a sood and I can’t wait to see you tonight”

And tonight he’d tell Mary Tonight he’d cup her cheeks in his hands, stare into her ocean eyes, and tell her that there would never be another person in the world that meant more to him than she did

23

The loose thread on Mary’s shirt was suddenly thein the roo else out

Although dinner tonight would have been stuffy and uncomfortable whether Alex was here with her or not, his presence would have at least eased some of the discomfort that she always felt when she was around her parents and Margo

And she knew that because just thinking about hirin spreading across her face

“Mary, did you hear what your sister asked you?”

Mary looked over at her mother She shifted on the chair and cleared her throat “Sorry, what did you say?” She looked at her sister When she was around her fahter of the Trellis’s And judging by her ht And Mary… didn’t care

“I asked what happened to your date? Wasn’t he supposed to join us tonight?” Margo looked at her fiancé and gave hi his hand, which rested on her knee, alood boy for doing what she said and being here tonight

“He’ll be here,” Mary said and left it at that Before Margo could spit back a smartassed coue, the front doorbell chihtened