The party has wound down, only Dare and his friend Val, Luna keeping Patrick company.
He lights up when he sees me. Then he notices my expression, and he dims.
Guilt spreads all over his face.
He knows I know.
How does he know?
Has he really been waiting to tell me all this time?
"Excuse me," I mutter as I rush to the door. "I have to get home."
"Imogen—" He turns to me but he doesn't chase after me. He watches me go.
He says something to his friend.
She says something back.
And then he stays.
He lets me go.
He lets me get in my car and drive away.
ChapterForty-Six
PATRICK
The drive home is a blur. I shower, change my clothes, fix something to eat.
All of it, a blur.
She doesn't text.
She doesn't call.
She doesn't update her site.
All night, I toss and turn. Apologies form on my tongue.I'm sorry, Imogen. But they dissolve the second I reach for my phone.
I'm sorryisn't enough.
And it's not right either. Because I'll never be sorry I stumbled on her site, dove into her words, fell in love with her through her posts.
How can I apologize for that?
ChapterForty-Seven
PATRICK
My cell buzzes against my sheets.
I reach for it reflexively.
A million words form in my throat and dissolve on my tongue, all in the time it takes to answer the call.
"Hello," I say.