Page 131 of The Bridges I've Burned

A twinge of guilt tugged at my gut at the realization of how little time I had with Zander. I knew we had to have a conversation—the conversation—but neither of us seemed overly eager to bring it up.

Where was this headed?

It wasn’t that I was necessarily scared to find out.

Okay, that was a lie.

I was fucking terrified.

I just didn’t know what scared me the most—finding out he wanted a future with me or that he didn’t.

Losing him now was one thing. It would hurt, but my life would eventually go back to its normal routine, and I’d survive. I was used to being alone. Losing him at some point in the future when our lives were so entangled that I didn’t have one of my own to return to? That would devastate me.

So, yeah, I’d been putting it off, but I knew it was a conversation we needed to have.

I was just hoping for some sort of epiphany—a cosmic sign that would point me in the right direction.

But so far, I hadn’t found one.

“Okay, so my mom and dad are checked off. I dropped off a gift basket for my brother and sister at the other rental this morning.”

“Did you get to meet their dates?” I asked ’cause I was nosy.

“No,” she answered. “I just snuck in and left it on the counter. Everyone was asleep, which, according to my mother, is all very scandalous because one does not share a bed with a ‘date,’” she said as we walked out of the inn, having just given a warm welcome to Mr. and Mrs. Mueller.

They’d all arrived last night, but they had been in need of some rest after the long drive, so this was the first time we’d seen them.

I snorted out a laugh as we moved down the path toward my car. “Okay, moving on then. What about your aunt…” Shit, what’s her name?

Marin gave me a knowing grin. “She’s at the resort, as are a few others, and where we should head now.”

“Okay, but don’t you want to stop for lunch first?” I asked, checking my watch. It was just about noon.

“Nah,” she said as we both got in the car. I took the driver’s seat and started the engine. “I’m good. I’d rather get all these welcome baskets out of the back of the car first. It’s too hot.”

Speaking of…

I looked in my rearview mirror and let out a sigh. My car had never looked so…cute and domesticated.

The baskets were ridiculously large, packed to the gills with Ocracoke merchandise, local snacks, and coffee.

It was so over the top.

It was so generous.

And it was so Marin.

We pulled into the packed parking lot of Windows Hotel and Resort, and we both got out. Marin was already on her phone, checking her list, while I pulled open the door to the back seat to start hauling out baskets.

“How many of these do we need?” I asked.

No answer.

“Marin?” I looked over the top of the car and found her still staring at her phone.

“Oh, um…” She paused. “Four. No, wait. Five.”

“Okay. I’ll take three. You take two.”

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