Page 2 of Sheltered

And now, I couldn’t go back to change it.

Regret wouldn’t do anything for me now. My final moments needed to be filled with something good.

So, I thought about all the good things I’d had with him. I thought about the way he smiled at me. The way he looked at me. The things he made me feel and how he captured my heart.

Even through the pain I felt, there was lingering gratitude.

And as I felt myself fading, I had only one thought remaining.

Knowing the outcome, I’d still do it all over again, even if I’d only get the few short months that I did.

A moment later, I could have sworn I saw a shadow outside the front door, but my eyes drifted shut, and the world faded away.

ONE

Harlow

Two Months Earlier

“You’re not going to believe what I did.”

Wide eyes met mine in the mirror in front of me. There was a bubbling up of excitement happening inside my body at the news I couldn’t wait to share. And as I stared at my best friend’s reflection, I could see her mind working.

When Olive failed to figure out whatever I intended to reveal, she asked, “Is it bad?”

“What would make you think it’s bad?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know, Harlow. I’m a bit terrified you’re going to tell me you mixed the wrong color and have already done my whole head with it.”

I smiled at her.

Olive had trusted me to cut her hair for her when we were in high school. I’d always had a natural talent for it, and she believed in me all those years ago. Now that I was officially licensed and had been a professional stylist for fourteen years, I knew she was only joking about being concerned I’d messed up the color for her hair. “Your hair is fine. There’s nothing to worry about. And the news I’ve got to share is good. Shocking, but good.”

She raised a curious brow. “Shocking? You? I’m not sure we have the same definition of that word.”

Olive made a fair point. I wasn’t exactly a daredevil. In fact, the way I’d lived my life had proven to be the opposite of bold. I’d never done anything that could have been considered extreme; I hadn’t so much as gotten a speeding or parking ticket in my life. I got up every day, came to my salon, and took care of my clients before going home each night. Sure, I had the occasional lunch or dinner out with my best friend. Sometimes, we took shopping trips together. And I visited with my family on all holidays and at random times throughout the year.

I loved my life.

Truly, I did.

But there was one part of it that was lacking, one part I could no longer ignore at the age of thirty-two. Time was passing me by, and all the other thoughts or daydreams I’d had about how my life would turn out would never come to pass if I didn’t do something about it.

So, I decided to take some action and do something crazy.

I nervously bit my lip, an indication to Olive just how excited I was. She couldn’t stand the wait and ordered, “Tell me what you did.”

Before I chickened out, I blurted, “I joined a dating app two weeks ago.”

Her mouth fell open, and she gasped, “What?”

Nodding to confirm she had heard me correctly, I added, “I’ve got my first date this Friday.”

Olive spun around in her seat, so she could look directly at me. She must have thought she was seeing and hearing things by communicating with me through the mirror and needed to be certain she wasn’t mistaken. “Are you joking?”

I had to imagine hearing this was for Olive the way it would have been for me if I’d gotten a phone call from her telling me that she’d been arrested. This wasn’t the kind of thing I did. It was so far out of character for me, so I could appreciate the shock she was feeling over it.

I looked down at her and shook my head. “No. I’m dead serious.”

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