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That was freaking adorable. And something about the casual way Daria shared the memory felt intimate, as if we were part of her family. I liked it. “I’m in for ice cream, but that’s not what I was talking about. I made my time this morning. I’m going to the Olympic trials in a few weeks to see if I can make the team.”
“Yeah.” Colin clapped me on the back. “I can see it now, painted under our school’s name.Featuring Olympic Medalist…” He wiped his hand across the air as he spoke.
I was as pleased with his reaction as I was with my news. He was into the school idea again, and that was perfect.
“You’ll have to send us postcards,” Daria said. “Alana desperately wants to go to Tokyo, and I’ve told her not until Harmony is older.”
“I promise, lots of postcards.”
We settled in to watch the show, and like last night we had an amazing time laughing and both enjoying and making fun of what was happening.
I didn’t want this to end. It had to though. After this week, this would be a memory and nothing more. So for tonight, I was memorizing it.
* * *
Three nightsin a row of some of the most fun I’d ever had. The sex was incredible, but the company was amazing regardless.
And waking up in the same bed as Daria and Colin was my new favorite way to start a morning.
Colin and I made Daria stay in bed, and made her breakfast. We took our time feeding each other strawberries and regretting that I hadn’t poured the juice into sippy cups, when we had to leave it on the nightstand, and just enjoying each other’s company.
I didn’t want this to end, but after tomorrow, Colin and I would be back in our place and life would go back to normal.
I might as well enjoy it all now, while I could.
A creak from downstairs greeted us, and Daria jerked upright with a frown. “That was the front door.”
Where was the nearest weapon?
“Mom.” Alana’s call carried easily up the stairs. “We’re home.”
“Fuck me.” Panic flooded Daria’s expression.
No kidding. Colin and I were on our feet in an instant, pulling on clothes, tossing Daria her T-shirt, and making the bed look at least a little like only one person had been sleeping in it.
At the sound of the bedroom doorknob turning, nausea surged in my gut. At least we were all decent when Alana walked in the room.
She froze, eyes wide and mouth open, then let out the most painful, ear-splitting screech I’d ever heard.
20
colin
In front of Daria’s,Tanner made a quick call to the apartment management office and made sure we were okay to go back to our apartment. With confirmation, we headedhome.
I arrived there about the same time he did. It hadn’t even been five days, but it felt weird coming back here. Inside the apartment, the faint smell of something peppery hung in the air, and we opened the windows immediately.
Neither of us had said much of anything. Was his mind racing as much as mine was? “I hope Daria’s all right,” I finally said.
Tanner fidgeted with his fingers, rubbing them together. “She’s never mentioned that her ex was abusive. Neither has Alana. Do you think she might be in trouble? We shouldn’t have left. If he hurts her…”
His concern was adorable and as far as I knew, completely misplaced. “I meant emotionally, you neanderthal. She looked so stressed.”
“I know.” Tanner sighed and sank onto the couch. “And did you hear that scream of Alana’s?”
“She’s going to hate us forever.” I didn’t like the thought of having disappointed a student. I really didn’t like thinking about the tension in that house when we left. And the things her ex had been saying to her… This was one of those rare moments when I understood why someone might punch someone else.
Tanner was on his feet again, pacing the short distance of the living room. “I need to do something.”
