Page 73 of Conquering Conner

That’s what she was going to say.

Before I leave.

“It’s where you were,” I tell her, cutting her off because I can’t listen to her say it. I just can’t.

“Excuse me?”

“You asked me why I hung out at the library when I was a kid. That’s my answer.” I flash her my dimples. No matter how many times I say it, she’ll never stop being surprised when I tell her how I feel about her. It’s both endearing and infuriating. “Because it’s where you were.”

“Oh…” she looks down at her hands, her cheeks stained a soft pink. “Well, I don’t think that’s going to help me much.”

“Probably not.” Letting the subject drop, I pull down a side street before turning down another narrow alleyway. Dead ahead is a dive called Willy’s. According to Logan, Jack’s been here since noon, slumped on a barstool, drinking his way through the better part of his disability check.

Seeing the building in front of us, Henley’s face loses some of its color. “Are you sure he’s in there?”

“Yeah.” I pull the car to a stop and kill the engine. “He’s in there.”

She nods. Takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly while rubbing her sweaty palms on the legs of her designer jeans. “How do I look?” She turns to look at me, her wide terrified and unsure. “I can’t do anything about my nose or my teeth, but I tried to—”

“I’d know you anywhere.”

When I say it, her expression softens, and she lets out a long, slow breath. Her hands stop their frenetic rubbing. Her shoulders relax under the bulk of her sweater. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“There’s nowhere else for me to be.” I give her a reassuring smile. “Ready?”

She shakes her head, swallowing hard against the obvious lump in her throat. “No.”

“Great.” I widen my smile, flashing her my dimples. “Let’s go.”

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