Page 159 of Come Break My Heart Again

Ryder is grinning behind Tucker, making me think Keira and Tucker have had this argument a couple of times already today. Our gazes meet, and I look away quickly, feeling weirdly … shy.

Lines from the letter he wrote me run through my head. It was dated six years ago, meaning he wrote it a full year after breaking up with me. Meaning he didn’t let go quickly or easily, the way I always assumed.

Keira and Tucker are still bickering about the bookshelf as we walk inside.

The red, white, and blue color scheme has definitely spread indoors. Everywhere I look, there’s something patriotic.

“Are you up for going out for drinks?” Keira asks me.

“Yeah. Definitely. Just let me get Scout settled and get changed.”

“You’re in the same room as before.” Keira takes my bag from Tucker, who carried it inside for me, and heads for the stairs hung with bunting.

Scout trots after us once I whistle for him.

“You spoil me,” I say as soon as we reach it. “No way this room doesn’t have the best view.”

“It does. But it’s also where my parents stay when they’re here, so …” She smirks. “Basically, you taking this room is helping my sex life.”

I wrinkle my nose. “You could have just said,It’s yours because you’re my best friend and you showed up before Juliet.”

“It’s yours because you’re my best friend and you showed up before Juliet.”

I roll my eyes as I walk toward the doors leading out to the balcony, eager to take in the view I know is waiting. “Too late.”

“Come down whenever you’re ready,” Keira says. “No rush.” She shuts the door behind her.

I stand out on the balcony for a few more minutes, then feed Scout his dinner.

My hair is the disaster I knew it’d be. It takes me a good ten minutes to get the strands unknotted, then change my clothes.

My mom drove into the city last week for a shopping trip. She took the news of my breakup with Prescott better than I had expected, although I’m positive part of her muted reaction was because my dad had already told her. Still, it was one of the nicer afternoons we’d had together in a while. And in addition to more professional clothes, I bought a few fun sundresses, like the blue one I’m wearing tonight.

There’s a knock on the door as I’m debating whether to pull my hair up or leave it down. I walk to answer it, holding the strands up with one hand.

Keira whistles when she sees me. “Damn. New dress?”

“Uh-huh. Frances and I went shopping.” I drop my hair, then gather the strands off my neck again. “Up or down?”

“Down. Here.” Keira hands me a glass that I take a tentative sniff of. Vodka, I think. “It was an early wedding gift from my liquor supplier. You wouldn’t believe what it costs a bottle.”

“It’s going to be that kind of night, huh?” I ask before swallowing the shot.

It’s good. Ice cold and smooth. Only stings once it hits my empty stomach.

Keira quirks a brow. “You tell me.”

She doesn’t bother to hide the burning curiosity on her face. The last time she saw me in person, I was holding back tears on her front steps.

“He had Nina give me a letter,” I tell her.

“Nina?”

“His mom,” I explain.

“You met her?”

I nod. “I … visit her. I’ve visited her for years.”

---