Jenifer was lost in thought when the notiond stirring at the month of the steel
dark figure stood near the lamppost just matilde her bulking
Her heart skipped a beat
She leaned across, inking to see it well at the figure was 100 far, too still a ter
Then it faced away, walked off, and vanishedinto the dark faedi
Her chest tightened. It cold be anyone Aarighbor. A delivery que but her inating said ether
She trood up suddenly and locked the door to the halony
The old tell Bay on in the meETING
ches, going to bed, when bei pleme buzzed again
ockodibe door imichi Imait
Jennifer from The phone slipped from her hand to land on the stone flow with a
That lige had been more than a prets; someone was watching her. She wasn’t
And the stainty wain’s sata.
Colon trataformed in the sky as orange and blue shades faded and the sun dipped beneath the barkoon jensiter perched on a bend that vied to be near the old pier, Ingi dolded beneath her. eye tracing the movement of the water. A sodbierze played acroscher hair, and the air melledet salt and pior,
It wasn’t part of her itinmary to come here. Her legs just drappedher, after leaving the house. Morphe she wanted price. Or perhaps li was simply wanting to feel very small under the jenstein skies that her personal problems. could not reach bene
She didn’t hear Byzou until he was right next door to her.
shocked, Jennifer Todard up but noäded to him, making him sit beside her. His action were careful and unhurried. For a moment, the two at sunogether as the sounds of water lagging against wood and birds in the distance filled the vald
“Why here?” he asked saltly.
She shinged “Used to be a place 1 would come tothink Before the wherew
“It’s peaceful,” Byron modded.
She viewed him. “What brought you here?!
He hesitated a moment. Then he gave her a slightly honest colle. “Because (thougİat you might need
Jember looked away. “That obvious?”
“No,” he wid gently. “But I’m burning how to read you.”
That red her hear, for she didn’t know if she should feel combatted ne sertified. The truth is she would like someone to understandher. Just mum aute if she’s ready yet..
“ollut i mean to move on. There are feelings involved. There’s a contract if you runt omvane obe, when the lost person trussed destroyedme”
She looked at hin. “Doyou?”
He sighed and stated out over the pater. “Her name was Lila
Byron blinked. He had expected. “We were gettin for the peas. Encipal for our Though I had all figured out. She was four, sharp, and beautiful. But desty, it started falling apart. I started sering things Secrets Line
The pers I loved mud the teangman.”
Jenniler stayedquiet, letting hinnay it all.
“Then one day, she just took off Packed in bags and movedont while I was at work Left noexplanation, behiul just a little note, said she did love me anymore.”
Jeander’s de remained I’m sesery
shook his head. “Not so mi pysty now the feeling of having the someone you’ve depended up shatter your very spielt. It’s a unique kind of pain.”
Their eps locked, and for a moomi,
I don’t want to be broken anymore,” she whispered.
“You’re not broken, Jennifer,” he said, voke tium lan kind. “You’ir healing. That’s diferent
She swallowedhand. A tear dipped down her cheek and the quickly wiped in away Byron reached over, slowly, bunked a rand of hair behind her var His fingers fingered by her cheek.
There were close nam. Toorime
Jenterfeit the workfoltingslightly.
She didn’t move. Neither di b
His binath was warm against her side, and her heart poinded so loudly it echoed in her ears.
Thuir Upsww only a breath from touching when
Hei phoir vibrated in her pocket, unapping thing both mora the moment.
Thunder pulled it out, bet hands shaking already
The second he blamed intrudingitaver her shandler, Byron’s expression changed as darkness dell over his eyes. Ispiting wLESE
- im. That I’m with you.”
Teminen we re pomp teste orpu” he said. “No more tittying ”
che whiquedisply.
she thought of protesting But truthfully, she wanted to be with him. Not anymore abalus.
In Jennifer’s Home. Becomiad settled on the couch, coosforable mith a pillow and a throic blanket der stood for a mumem at the dine watching humi.
You felt det mind shaving be
alf. I ideeg better knowing you’re safe. “
fis danied her dosan teigtorage. She turned away again before he could see how much that meant
bien noom. Terduder tried step, but thoughts raced around and and Ame time the closed her eyelids, the words of the moster handh
You should have stayed with you hustund.
madaigh, she got up hom the bed held for nothing in the house except that soft tium at the midge and ticking at the m
