Page 137 of Until I Own You

We sip our tea quietly for a few moments, and I relish that the world has not imploded around me.

“Don’t tell Solomon,” I say. “Just. Not yet.”

She puts her fingers to her lips and twists like a key in a lock. “Secret safe with me. And Seth?”

“Hm.”

Her eyes crinkle.

My mother’s entire being is love to me. And I think I’ve forgotten that over the years.

I don’t think I’ve really seen the world for all its beauty before Bridget.

“You two will look so cute together,” she says.

Gotta admit…didn’t know I wanted to hear that. I beam. “Thanks, Mom.”

Now the question is, will Bridget think the same?

25

BRIDGET

I need a night out at the bar like I need a hole in the head. I’m surprised my liver is still intact after Key West.

Not to mention, I haven’t felt like doing much of anything since things went haywire with Seth.

I look down at my phone one more time, check our thread of messages to see if I missed a text.

Still, nothing.

It took everything in me to text him today after my meeting with Deborah Angelise. I was on cloud nine, felt as powerful as I ever have, and thought, “Fuck it. I’ll text him.”

He said I’m still his, right?

So, we should be able to have scenes in the Underground, still spend time together, in secret, the way we always have.

I know that pales in comparison to the real thing, but…

We’ve waited so many years to have each other like this. He won’t throw it all away just because it doesn’t look the way he wanted it to, right?

“Stop staring at your phone.” Sonia waves her hand over the screen.

I look at my friend sitting beside me at the bar. “Sorry, I’m distracted.”

“Yeah, we all can tell.” She glances over at Laney and Abigail who are collecting a round of shots from the bartender. “Everything okay?”

I click my phone off and drop it back in my clutch. “Yeah. Fine.”

She narrows her eyes. “Are you sure?”

“Why are you on my ass, Sonia?” It’s supposed to be an attempt to be funny, but it just comes out edgy.

Sonia’s eyes widen. “Sorry. Didn’t realize I was on your ass.”

I sigh. “I didn’t mean…sorry, I’m just. I have things on my mind.”

“Clearly. Which is why I, your best friend, am asking you if there’s anything you want to talk about.”

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