Page 75 (1/2)

Two achingly long weeks had passed, and the hole inas ever I’d tried so hard to tell o It didn’tI had my whole life ahead of me Not only that, I was lucky I had a beautiful memory of my first time with an incredibly sexy man

It didn’t work

I parked near the wooden pier by Slayde’s old place He’d moved in with Kenny, and now those apartments were set for deone, and in their place would be high-rise condos Huge blocks of concrete

Turning away froainst the pier posts ClosingI saw his s arentle touch I re the lines of his

“Oh, Yaya,” I lifted blurry eyes to the black sky A million stars filled the space, and all I could think of wascampfire “I really screwed up this time”

A lone tear streamed down my cheek, and the pain of heartbreak burned inable to take a deep breath without pain

Resting randmother now in heaven She’d told ift, to listen to my instincts I’d shot it all to hell in as possibly the most iotten everything she taught me

Pulling ed them “I wish you were here I wish you could tell h this”

A buzz frootten it was init out, I expected to see Kenny’s picture s at me Instead it was an unknown number I almost dismissed it, but the tiniest pull in er across the face

“Hello?” I hoped I didn’t sound like I’d been crying

“Mariska?” His voice was like a jolt of electricity to my heart

“Stuart?”

For a moment, neither of us spoke I heard his breath on the line, and I felt the stream of tears onHe called me! What did this mean?

“I got your number from Elaine”

His tone was terse as always I didn’t care I closed ht of the tiue up it