Page 30 of No Headlines Please

A year.

Sure, it was a long time, but it wasn't a lifetime. And besides, I told myself, I wasn't terribly close to my family, anyway. It's not like they'd miss me.

Mom didn't like me at all.

My dad probably loved me, but he wasn't great at showing it.

And Tessa? Well, she was more complicated. I knew she loved me. And I loved her. But our relationship had never been easy for all kinds of reasons.

But it was the thing with Maisie that really stung. We'd met in college and had become best friends right away. And her dad was amazing. Together, they were like the family I'd never had – warm and encouraging, even when I fell short of expectations.

Perversely, this was why I'd cut them off so completely.

It hurt like hell to do it, there was no way I'd ever risk bringing trouble to their doorstep, even if that doorstep was on an island that felt incredibly safe.

But now the year was officially over – actually, more than over, considering I'd given it an extra month just in case. I'd even lived in the same apartment, because why bother moving if they could find me anyway?

Finally, I was done with all of it – and beyond tired of feeling watched.

When my lease expired, I put all of my stuff into storage and bolted for Chicago, hoping to reconcile first with Tessa and then with Maisie.

I'd reached out to Tessa first, because things between us had been shaky before I'd ghosted everyone, which meant Tessa wouldn't be nearly as hurt.

But Maisie?

I just prayed she hadn't taken it as hard as I would've taken it if she had ghosted me. And yet, somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew the truth.

I had hurt her.

Even worse, I couldn't even explain why.

But I could try to make it up to her.

Somehow.

12

The Wrong Floor

Maddox

In the basement corridor, Delaney gave me a sheepish smile. "Sorry. I think I zoned out for a second."

It had been more than a second. Already, we were standing at the elevators. But considering the day she'd had, it was no wonder she'd zoned out.

As I pressed the button to go up, she said with a little laugh, "I'm surprised you didn't wander off."

Not a chance. "And I'm surprised you're still standing."

She rolled her eyes. "Hey, I haven't had that much to drink."

"Not because you're drunk," I clarified, recalling her struggles with the suitcase. "Because you're probably exhausted."

"Just a little," she admitted. "It's been one of those days, you know." But then, she brightened. "Actually, the last part has been pretty nice. So…thanks."

And then, she surprised me with a peck on the cheek that caught me completely off guard – not because she'd done it, but because my body reacted like she'd done a hell of a lot more.

Somehow, she'd managed to turn one innocent kiss on the cheek into the most charged moment I'd had in ages. Delaney, meanwhile, had already turned her attention elsewhere, adjusting the strap of her purse and glancing toward the elevators while I was still recalibrating.