“I am,” she says earnestly. “I really am. And I… I finally got my parents to understand. I mean, I know it’s still hard for them, but I brought someone home — someone I met in Montana who I love very, very much,” she adds.
There’s a strange cracking of my heart, a splintering of a piece of it I’d forgotten even existed. That piece will always belong to her, I realize — no matter what.
“I know it’s not easy for them, but they love me, and I think they’re beginning to realize that that matters more than anything else.” She pauses, brows folding over her warm eyes. “I’m just so sorry you had to bear the brunt of their shock and confusion at the beginning of it all.”
“Don’t be,” I tell her quickly, and without thinking, I reach out to cover her hand with mine.
We both still at the touch, eyes falling to the contact before we meet each other’s gaze once more. But it’s not a touch born of desire or lust, it’s one of true, unyielding love and understanding.
Of sisterhood.
She squeezes my hand, and I close my eyes, a single tear breaking free and rolling down my cheek.
“I’m not here long,” Bo says. “Just passing through, really. The company I’m with right now just secured a client in the Brickell Arch building, so we’re here to court them a little and go over how our technology will integrate into their systems.”
I arch a brow.
“Oh,” she says with a chuckle. “Yeah, I changed my major. I’m a coding engineer.”
“Not even a little bit surprised, you little baddie.”
She laughs. “Anyway, I just… When I found out I was coming here, I knew I had to see you. I wanted to explain where I went, wanted you to know I didn’t have a choice, and that I thought of you every day for quite some time.” She pauses. “I still think of you. And I’m just so happy you’re happy. You know — all things considered,” she adds with a smirk at my sling.
I smile, too, and nod vigorously. “I’m happy you’re happy, too. And thank you, for coming to see me, for… for caring enough to give me this closure I didn’t realize I still needed.”
“I needed it, too,” she says. “And… hey, maybe instead of closure, it’s a new chapter. I’d love to have a friend here in Miami. If you’ll have me.”
I pull her in for a long hug as my answer, closing my eyes at the way it feels to have her back in my life — even in this small way. “Always.”
When we pull back, I shoo her off the bed so I can wiggle my way out and stand, too. Then, I loop my good arm through hers.
“Come on, I need you to get better acquainted with the man who swayed me to the more phallic side of my sexual desires.”
She barks out a laugh at that. “I don’t want to impose…”
“Nonsense. Stay for dinner. Stay the night, if you want to.” I squeeze her. “We have a lot of catching up to do.”
And with a smile from each of us, we venture down the hall to join Brandon and Skyler, and I find a bright gold lining on the dark cloud that had been hovering over me ever since the accident.
“I THINK WE SHOULD do it.”
I stifle a laugh at how serious Cassie’s face is as she says it, how wide her bright green irises grow at the thought.
“Come on, aren’t you even a little curious?” she asks.
“I’ve done it before.”
“Oh…” She waves me off. “Well, you’ve never done it with me. And you know… I heard the sex when you’re high is…” She makes a chef’s kiss gesture with her fingers and lips, waggling her brows at me as I laugh again.
“Hey, no need to convince me. I’m in. Do you think you want to smoke it?”
She shakes her head. “Maybe a chocolate or gummy or something? And I want to just hang out in your dorm when we do it.” She blinks. “Or maybe my hotel room. I’m sure they don’t allow it on campus.”
“They don’t, but that’s not a rule that’s exactly strictly followed,” I add with a smile. “But okay, it’s a plan. When you come for Thanksgiving break, we’ll get you high.”
“And you. Oh! And we should load up on yummy Thanksgiving food and munchies for the occasion.”
“I’ll order from a restaurant, that way we don’t have to cook. And get some Twizzlers.”
Her eyes grow even wider. “My favorite.”
“I know.”
She sighs, leaning her chin on her hands as her eyes wash over me. “I miss you so much.”
“I miss you, too,” I say, and my chest aches with the truth of it. “Are you going out tonight?”
“Nah, I think Skyler and I are going to court that girl I was telling you about who I want as my Little. Skyler invited her to come hang out in the president’s suite, and we’re going to make her introduce us to anime.”