Page 27 of The Last Dance

Unfortunately, she’s not wrong. He did look good. Really, really,reallygood. The same old Henry that attracts people to him like a magnet. Except for me. He and I seem to have become the same kind of magnet, the ones that can only push each other away. It wasn’t always like that.

‘So, what happened?’

‘He made a near-fatal situation awkward.’

She glares. ‘I’m gonna need more than a riddle, please.’

‘He’s dating the woman I was meeting today. Karmen. When he walked in I literally choked on the piece of chicken I’d just forked into my mouth. He had to save my life by doing the Heimlich Maneuver.’ I pause for drama.‘Save. My. Life. Claire!’

‘Oh, my God. What did he say?’

‘He said, “Are you OK?”’

‘Besides that!’

‘Oh. Well, you’ll be proud to know that Karmen knows me only as Rory’s little sister.’

‘That’s not a lie.’

‘It’s not the full truth.’

‘A truth that isn’t yours to tell…’

I sigh. I hate her rule of truth-telling. She’s no gossip. I love that about her. But sometimes a girl needs to talk about whatever she’s heard, my own truth or not.

‘He texted this to you? Does this mean you’re going to talk to him about what happened?’

‘No. I still feel exactly the same way as I did back then. Him leaving hurt—’

‘Devastated,’ she corrects me.

I sigh, the irritation of the entire situation growing inside me by the minute. ‘Fine,devastatedme. But we had to part ways because our mental health couldn’t take it. But also, I didn’t make that decision,hedid. So, he has no right to any conversations with me.’

‘I agree.’

‘But…’ I hold up my index finger. ‘We do have to see him again.’

‘We?’

I nod. ‘In order to get my story, I have to go to a show at the Crystal tonight. They will be there, and they’ve invited all of us.’

‘All of us? Including Noah?’

‘They don’t exactly know about Noah specifically. I didn’t really have time to add them to my mailing list or send them a relationship announcement.’ I roll my eyes. ‘But I told Karmen I needed four tickets so I’m sure they’re assuming I’m bringing a date.’

‘I kind of already told him about Noah.’ Claire grins through clenched teeth. ‘I wanted him to feel as bad as possible.’

‘Claire! Damn you! If I had any other friends I’d demote you to back-up best friend right now.’

‘I know, and I’m sorry but I did it for your own good.’

‘Yeah, yeah.’ I wave a hand at her.

Claire finally sits down at her desk, leaning back in her chair, a smile plastered on her face as she stares at the photo on my phone. ‘This will be… interesting.’

‘Horrible.’ We speak at the same time, her a little more intrigued by tonight’s upcoming events than I am. Dread. That’s the exact right word for what I’m feeling right now.

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