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“Well, Shane and Jesse will be there,” says Ocean, who can’t take a fucking hint. “Seth says he’ll swing by, too. Wanna come?”
I shove my fingers into my short hair and sigh. “Maybe another time.”
“Come on, buddy.” Ocean grins widely. Yeah, nothing can get the sunny boy of Damage Control down. “You never meet with us.”
“I’m not sociable, okay?”
“Come on. We’ll play pool and hang out, and then we could—”
“Hey. Ocean.” I lift a hand, my patience fraying. “Not tonight, all right?”
“Sure, man.” He turns away, so I’m not sure I hear his next words correctly, but it sounds like, “Just don’t shut out your family.”
Shit. I lean against the counter after he’s gone. Didn’t realize I was shutting anyone out. Maybe I should meet the guys tonight. Maybe...
Ev.
Who cares who she’s with? I need to see if it’s her.
I shoot out of my seat, and I’m out of Damage Control in two strides. My open jacket flaps as I cross the street, making a beeline for the donut shop.
Only the two girls aren’t sitting at the bench anymore. I peek inside the shop, then down the street. The hell? I wasn’t gone for so long, was I? Will I miss my chance once again? It was only yesterday I ran after her, calling for her, but she never turned around.
I catch glimpse of a slender girl rounding the corner, maybe fifteen yards away. I hesitate, but the slight limp gives her away, and I run after her. My combat boots thump rhythmically on the sidewalk, faster and faster, as I weave between passersby and pound down the avenue.
Where is she?
Slowing down, I look around but can’t see her. “Fuck!” I turn in a circle, tugging on my short hair.
I set off again, pushing through a throng at a burger stand and then a bus stop. What the hell? She was right ahead of me. With her limp, she can’t go fast. I pace up and down, cursing, and have to stifle a cough. My lungs feel tight.
Useless. She’s vanished into thin air. Could be a sign I should let this go. It probably isn’t her, and even if it is, no reason to butt into her life.
Fuck this. Shoving my hands into my pockets, I turn around to go and brace against the cold wind.
Then I see her. She’s not even ten feet away. Dressed in jogging tights and a long hoodie, she’s hurrying away from me. For one fleeting second, she glances over her shoulder, right at me, and I see stark fear in her eyes.
Fuck. She’s afraid of me. Of course she is. I’m acting like a goddamn stalker, watching her, going after her. I lift my hands and shake my head, taking a step back, then another, bumping into people.
But she’s not looking at me anymore. She darts forward, her ponytail flying. My eyes narrow when I see her stumble.
Damn. Without a second thought, I sprint after her, closing the small distance in a heartbeat. She’s going down, her knee buckling. Making a grab for her arm, I manage to snag her sleeve and hold her up. Time stops, stretches like toffee, and my whole world shrinks around my hand that’s keeping her from falling and her whiskey-colored eyes, huge in her pale face.
Fixed on me.
I stare back. Is it her? Is she Ev? Suddenly, I’m unsure. My memory is hazy. The eyes... That’s all I really remember, but can I trust a mind that was burning with fever?
Finally, I gather my wits and haul her upright. Her hand flexes, and she grips my arm in a surprisingly strong hold. Her other hand closes around a fistful of my shirt that peeks through my open jacket, and she winces as she straightens.
She won’t look at me now. I need to see her eyes again. With a fingertip I lift her chin, and swallow hard. I open my mouth to speak her name, but she beats me to it.
“Who are you?” she whispers.
I’m speechless. She’s so pretty—her mouth wide and soft, her cheeks flushed, her eyes so bright they burn into me. I slide my other hand around her, to the small of her back, feeling the sweet curve of her hips and her slim waist. She smells of flowers.
I bow my head. Only an inch separates our lips. “Micah,” I whisper. “I’m Micah Owens.” Are you Ev?
But before I say it, my wild run catches up with me, and I start to cough.
