Sal sniffs, smiling up at him. “You do?”
“I do.”
“Does she know that?”
“Not yet.”
She peers at him, confused. “Seth, why not?”
He swallows at the gentle admonition, meets her eyes. “I don’t want to fuck it up.” Though the admittance is hard, it feels good to talk to Sal, to confide in her. He missed that. “I’ve never said it to anyone before. What if she ain’t there?”
“She’s there. And you won’t fuck it up, Seth.” She squeezes his arm. “Back in the kitchen, you were talking serious. I’ve never heard that from you before.”
“Yeah. It’s pretty damn serious.” His chest tightens thinking about it. “I want to give her everything. A fuckin’ house, hundreds of shoes if she wants ’em.”
Sal laughs, then her face turns stern and solemn. “I love that you love her. So much. Just ... my sister has a soft heart, Seth. Don’t break it.”
Her words cut him, make him realize the seriousness of the situation. He needs to make it count, make it work. Otherwise, it’s not just Lacey he’d lose. He’d lose his best friend too.
Swallowing down the boulder in his throat, he reaches out and pulls Sal in for a tight hug. “I won’t.” They stay there like that, watching the crackling fire, Seth’s heart a wild drumbeat in his ears.
Because he fucking hopes, prays, he didn’t just lie to Sal.