Page 30 of Ghost Note

“Well, you’re here now, so get it yourself.”

Danny’s smirk came to life, but he quickly tried to hide it as he poured himself a glass ofmywine.

That’s it. Just waltz in here, take my peace, ruin my perfectly good mirror, disturb my routine, and drink my wine.

He really was an arsehole.

When he slumped back in his chair, and his finger and thumb circled the stem of his glass, I couldn’t help but notice how even the way he sat had changed. He looked so comfortable being here, and I wanted him to feel anything but that.

“Seven minutes…” I reminded him.

His ocean eyes shot up to mine. “I have a lot to say to you, Daisy, but I don’t know where to start.”

“Kinda hard to strut back into someone’s life and tell a five-year story, is it?”

“I don’t want to talk about me.”

“Then whatdoyou want to talk about?”

“You. Only you.”

I swallowed, stunned by his answer. “There’s nothing to say. I’m thinner, you don’t approve, life goes on. There you go. Feel free to leave.”

“Daisy…” he whispered, and the familiarity of it slammed against my wounded heart. “It doesn’t have to be like this.”

“This is exactly how it has to be.” I brought my glass to my lips again, taking another big drink.

“I thought you weren’t a fan of wine,” he said, studying me until I dropped my drink back onto the table. I clung to the stem with both hands, twirling it between my fingers and thumbs while I eyed him.

“We’re not the same people we once were.”

“I see that.”

“And our tastes change as we get older.”

“Not mine.”

“No? Always been a smoker, have you?”

“That’s a bad habit, not a taste. I still want what I want.”

“And what is that, exactly?”

“To catch up. To…” He huffed out a flat laugh that held nothing but exasperation. “I don’t know… talk.” He leaned forward, bringing his toned forearms to rest on the table. The veins there throbbed as he played with his glass the same way I played with mine, and I wanted to lick my lips and take a moment to remember his strong fingers on me… but that was a betrayal to nobody but myself, and I’d done enough of that already in the last day since he’d returned.

“Fine. What do you want to know about me in the six minutes you have left?”

“Your minutes go by quickly.”

“I can make it four if you’d prefer?”

The curve of his lips rose higher. “How long have you lived in this place?”

“That’s it? That’s what you want to know.”

“You dictate the time, Daisy, not my curiosity.”

With an irritated shake of my head, I sighed. “I’ve lived here for two years.”

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