Page 214 of Dark Heart

“It feels awkward because that’s the way you feel. We’ll go on with our lives. It doesn’t mean anything. Not to Abel or me. Hopefully, not to you either.”

“Seriously?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Her face glows with a smile that gets quickly chased away by another thought.

“You like him?” she asks.

“Abel? Yes. I always did.”

I take another bite of cake.

She gives me a furtive glance.

“He’s a very handsome man,” she says.

“Yes, he is.”

She lowers her eyes, red up to her hairline.

“And well endowed,” she says under her breath.

I breathe out a chuckle.

“That too. There’s no way to deny that now.”

She flicks her eyes up.

“He’s a good man, too,” I say seriously, brushing crumbs off my fingers.

She stays silent.

“Is this the reason you are sad?” I ask.

“Maybe.”

Smiling, I push out of the chair and walk to the fridge.

“You want some?” I ask, pulling out a water bottle.

She nods.

I set a bottle for her on the desk and take a seat.

“You spent some time with him that evening. Do you like him?” I ask.

“Yes. I like him... A lot,” she adds, a bit embarrassed.

I examine her for a moment.

She avoids my eyes.

“Abel is a very good friend of mine, but he’s not my boyfriend.”

“He was friendly with me, and I think he liked me too,” she says timidly.

I weigh my words.

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