Page 219 of Come Back to Me

“I’ve heard it said many a time.”

“You could have offloaded onto me.”

“I wanted this over, Tee. The sooner it was, the sooner I could get things back to normal.”

“Is anything ever normal in this town?”

He chuckles in my ear. The low tenor of it, the delicious rawness, has me melting into him.

“I have sunsets to watch with a certain fake un-girlfriend and orgasms to bestow... Crime has severely gotten in my way this week.”

“How dare it?” I mock-gasp, but I’m smiling.

His hand lands on my stomach as he drags me deeper into his embrace. “Have you been making music?”

“Like my life depended on it. I handed Colt his album yesterdayandI’ve almost finished the CD I want you to give to Jerry Majors.”

“Can I listen?”

Pink tinges my cheeks. “Sure. If you want to.”

“You know I enjoy your music.” He drops a kiss on my temple. “The reason I took a half-day is… I wondered if you wanted to head into Saskatoon. If I remember correctly, you had ‘visit a crystal store’ on your checklist.”

Could he be any more perfect?

“I thought I’d have to drag you there!”

“Figured we could go to that fast food joint and end things at the lake.”

I pluck at his shirt. “That sounds like my idea of a good time.”

“Meet you out front in twenty minutes?”

“Definitely.”

I leave first, quickly use the bathroom, then step out and find Zee sitting on my bed. From behind her, I see her Bichon Frisé sniffing around the corners.

“What’s up?”

“Colton said that I should stop complaining to him about this dog and complain to you instead.”

“As fun as that sounds,” I mock, “I have plans.”

Her brows lift. “What kind of plans?”

“I’m going out.”

“Where? To your nonna’s? I haven’t seen her in ages. I could come with you?”

“I’m going into the city with Cody.”

Her eyes widen. “Have you forgiven him for being Butch?”

“No. And I wasn’t mad at him for being Butch, but for sending me a ‘Dear John’ letter,” I correct.

“Then what are you doing with him?”

“Taking him shopping.” Zee looks at me like I’ve lost the plot, but I waft a hand. “It makes sense.”

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