Lizzie deflated again. "Oh."
"I'm heading back to Charleston," I divulged. "I think I'm ready to start living the life Iwant."
I felt her eyes assessing me. "You know what you wantthen?"
"I want them," I said. "And right now, they want me too. That's good enough for now. We'll figure everything else as we come to it. Plus, I want to see my momagain."
When I met Lizzie's gaze once more, a wide smile had overtaken her face. "You did it, didn't you?" she askedconspiratorially.
My eyes widened. "Wha—"
"Oh, no. Don't even!" She laughed, bouncing off the bed. Lizzie stopped in front of me and held out her hand. "Phone."
I blinked but reached into my pocket and retrieved it anyway. She yanked it from my hand and started typing away. "Um...what are you doing?" I asked. "I already have yournumber."
"I know," she said, her fingers flying over the screen. "I'm just adding you to all my social medianow."
"Okay." I waited for a minute or two for her to elaborate. When she didn’t, I tilted my head to the side and finally asked, "Why?" Lizzie moved away, her fingers still clicking against the pad of my cellphone. “Lizzie?” She stepped back, her eyes glued to thescreen.
“Almost done,” sheanswered.
I waited for another minute or two. “Okay, seriously. What are you doing?” Iasked
Her eyes met mine and she flipped the phone around, handing it back. "So, I have every avenue open to me. You could always block my phone number, but now I'm everywhere. Your Instagram. Facebook.Twitter."
"I don't have half of those," I remindedher.
With another wicked grin, she flipped her hair again. "Now you do," she sing-songed.
I lifted one brow. "Is this your way of stalkingme?"
"It's internet stalking," she said. "It's totally acceptable in today's society. Even encouraged. Girls do it to guys they intend to date all the time. Look it up, it's athing."
I shook my head and raised my free hand as I slipped my phone back into my pocket. "No, that's not necessary. I believeyou."
Lizzie sobered. "I know you promised you wouldn't forget me," she said. "I'm going to hold you to that. Keep in contact, Harlow. You're a good person, I can feel it, and having good people in my life is what everyoneneeds."
I sniffed, feeling my own eyes burn. Opening my arms, I wrapped them around her and she smiled, snuggling closer. I wasn't very tall, but I was still an inch or so taller than her and it made me feel like I was holding a beloved stuffedanimal.
"I'll keep in touch," Ipromised.
When we pulled apart, she punched me lightly in the shoulder. "You better, or I'll track youdown."
Chuckling, I headed for the door. "Of that, I have nodoubt."
"Fear me, for I am small," she called after me as I headed into thehall.
I turned in my keys and filled out a small cleaning survey for the front office, letting them know the dorm didn’t sustain any damages in the time I had stayed there, before heading outside to meet up with the guys. Bellamy was on the roof of the SUV, tying down my last box. Knix directed frombelow.
"Ready to go, Sunshine?" Marv asked, leaning down to peck me lightly on themouth.
Now that it was kind of, sort of, official between us all, he and the others had taken to kissing me whenever the need struck. And it struck quite often between all of them. The only one who hadn't touched me since everything had ended with H. B. Holdings was Grayson. In fact, speaking of the Devil, I glanced around, looking for his tallframe.
"Where's Grayson?" I asked. Marv didn't even tense now when I said his name, though his lips did curldownward.
"He's dealing with something," Marvanswered.
I frowned at the vagueness but figured that he probably didn't know much more. Maybe that was the reason for his disapproving look. I didn't want to push if it would unleash unpleasantness, so I just decided to let itbe.