Page 129 of The Rivals' Touch

I watch him walk away. His powerful body moves beneath his flannel shirt, reminding me of the times I held him against me. The times I found refuge in his kisses, and the many times I hated him but secretly wanted him.

I lower myself down on the curb and stretch my legs out in front of me. The sun heats my wet cheeks as I search my soul for what little strength still resides hidden in its bottomless depths. I need it to survive what’s coming next.

“Are you okay?”

I look up. Abigail sits down next to me and rests her head on my shoulder.

“I will be.”

“Me too.”

I smile against her temple. “At least we found each other in this fucked-up mess.”

She nods, interlacing her fingers with mine. “I needed a friend like you.”

I swallow thickly and swipe my thumb over the top of her hand. She’ll get caught in the crossfire soon enough. “I needed you too.”

“You’re saying goodbye.” She props her chin on my shoulder, and I press my forehead against hers, whispering, “No matter what happens, find me when your mom passes away, okay? I’ll always be here for you.”

We stay like that for a moment, two unlikely friends nurturing each other’s traumas.

I rise to my feet and hold out a helping hand.

“Where are you going now?” she asks, swiping at her wet cheeks.

I lift my face toward the sun. “We have a game to win.”

Her shoulder nudges mine, and she smiles playfully. “So, who’ll win? You’ve cheered for both teams.”

I nudge her back. “I don’t know. It’s going to be close.”

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