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Meaning Foster had lost…me.
“I’m sorry,” I croaked, wishing I could remember for his benefit as much as my own.
“Not your fault,” he rasped hoarsely, but I could tell how deeply he was suffering.
So I fell silent for the rest of the way to my apartment complex, wishing I could make it up to him somehow.
When he pulled into the parking lot, a surreal daze overwhelmed me. But Foster Union knew exactly where I lived. We’d beenfriends. And I’d slept beside him each night. How in the world could I make sense of all that in my head? He was just supposed to be this local celebrity that I drooled over from afar. Like the coyote forever chasing the roadrunner, I never thought I’d actuallycatchhim.
“I’ll walk you up,” he told me quietly as he killed the engine.
I nodded. “Thanks.”
He opened his door and immediately came around to my side as if to help me out, but I was already jumping to the ground by the time he reached me.
“You got it?” he asked, watching me in concern as I carefully stepped up onto the sidewalk.
I nodded. “Yep. Still just a little wobbly sometimes, but I’m good.”
“You’re doing great,” he assured, reaching out a hand to touch the small of my back as he escorted me to the middle outdoor staircase.
I paused when I reached the first step to take a deep, bolstering breath. Stepping protectively closer, Foster glanced around. “Does this place have an elevator?”
“Nope,” I answered and lifted my foot, beginning to ascend.
Cursing under his breath, he went with me, hovering close and gently gripping my elbow the entire way.
Once we reached the landing, I lifted my face to him and grinned big. “Did it!” I cheered, proud of myself.
He met my gaze, only for tears to fill his lashes. “Fucking hell,” he gritted out shaking his head and covering his mouth. “I missed you so damn much.”
My smile fell.
Lifting both hands to apologize, he shook his head. “Sorry,” he told me. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to—” But he was still crying, and the tears choked him up before he wiped his face and trembled out a self-deprecating laugh. “This has got to be unbelievably weird for you to have a complete stranger just start bawling all over you.”
I shook my head, even though, yes, it was unbelievably weird for me. “You’re not a stranger, though, are you?”
He wiped his eyes and took a step forward. “Let’s get you to your door.”
At 2G, he paused and turned to me. His tears had dried, but his eyes were still red with rings around them. As I inserted my key into the lock, he took a step back.
“Well…” he started, nodding at me in farewell. “You said your dad’s coming back for you tomorrow?”
I nodded as I opened the entrance. “Tomorrow evening, yes.” When I turned to face him, he took another step in retreat.
“So… Take care, then,” he told me with an encouraging nod, even as his voice wobbled unsteadily. But I couldn’t just say goodbye this way. It felt all wrong.
“Why don’t you come in?” I invited.
He immediately shook his head. “No, I?—”
But I took his hand, cutting him off. “Foster. Come inside,” I instructed softly.
His gaze lifted to mine, and the pleading in his tormented blue eyes caught my heartstrings taut.
“Okay,” he whispered. And he entered my apartment without any further protest.
36
