house finally quiet and Liam curled up beside his stuffe

ly he had carried him on his shoulders, how natural it al

elt

go

t terri

of getting hurt again.

-

buzzing on the counter pulled her out of

ng... want to grab

at the screen

st

nt, sure. But

warred wit

, she r

At Hollow

-

n the bookstore and the old florist's shop, with a creaky sign that sw

w, hands wrapped around a mug. He looked up as she stepped in

ed that

sed tha

said, risi

ey

a coffee before she could think

r coming,"

igured we had mo

quiet fo

st night felt...

rprised by the ra

said softl

aggage. But I meant what I said, Amelia. I'

rd. "You make it

uld be easy. I said

curled aro

"there's something

wai

speak, a shadow pas

and designer sunglasses perched atop her head - sto

oa

lders st

tanding slowly. "Wha

a bli

ch

he area. I heard you were bac

oked betw

ard her, clearly assessing

said coolly.

m Rachel. Noah and I dated

flicker of emotion. "I'

, clearly not

chel, I'm a little busy righ

ghtly. "Of cou

oward Amelia - unreada

le

d at him, ey

quietly. "We were... a thing, a f

till t

ft the city. She di

melia pause

t her. "Now I know e

or a moment, the world na

Amelia said,

eli

kly. "I just..

ay, and this time, he

-

ght, it

a

streets into rivers and mad

indow, watching the downpour,

ad stood in a storm like this. Right before

hear the kn

ame again

him soaked, standing on her po

what ar

pping from his hair. "I couldn't let you walk away a

eath c

pped c

u. And I know everything's messy. But

urred he

ed," she

ant to do this. W

d in the distanc

could stop herself -

kis

soft. It w

s des

ng, and anger crashing into a singl

art, breathless, he rested

aving," he

, she bel

-