surprised by his su

elight in her voice. "That's wonderful! There's this lovely girl, Oliv

from high school, always with a book. Arc

over him, a bone-deep exhaustion fro

. "Whatever you think is

re, to choose, to feel anything

leaving his office when h

to her ear, and collided with him,

ed, her voice a little t

breath, brac

her bag, her movement

call with a client,

a nod. "N

urrowing with a practiced concern. "Is everyth

, bitter sound. Mad? That d

d, the lie tasting l

ept this, her exp

ooed, reaching out

ibly, but she didn't seem to

rm, a familiar, possessive tou

pping to a husky whisper. "I

nd saw the performance. The carefully co

ds out before he could stop th

, a flicker of something

nal calculation,

ck in place, her lips

voice laced with playful innocence. "I

The word

a surge

imself than to her. "What if I said... I

er hand droppi

ed her forehead. This

ef in her voice. "What are you talking

e even understand the concep

mple, a dull throbbing that had been h

said, pressing his fingers

ie. The stress was mak

n, concern flooding her featur

er voice soft with worry. "Go home and

s on his cheek, a gestu

er phone buzzed. He saw t

unrestrained joy that he'd

ing? Before the open mic? ... Of cour

t Ethan, a fleetin

said something similar before, he now recalled, during an inc

with a broken guitar string. The memory, once just a str

away, her focus entir

, the throbbing in h

st, but sleep f

s, her actions, the casual

when he'd told her he was going to Michigan to meet Oli

ons of love, they echoed in

you forev

ied, have a bea

rock, my

ll of i

at she'd never intended a future with him

d through him, follow

burni

s loft before collapsing ont

es, he wasn't sure, he felt

a

up!" Her voice was laced with pani

as she helped him up, her m

in a brightly lit hospital ro

rying to focu

nt of scolding in it. "You really need to take bet

shifted. "Leo! What

n the doorway, a

that open mic setup. Some idiot

Leo's side, her concer

She fussed over the small scratch,

, a cold detachmen

lergy case. Leo w

pproach him. "Fe

d, his t

or observation for a bit. Your friend signed yo

nd.

mage of Maya fawning over

own discharge papers.

his, and he'd bet

e an eternity, the

tion looked up. "Is

d, his voice fl

ushed back, Leo t

hey said you were being discharged." She smiled brightly at

ng her lie wash over him.