“I don’t think so. She was at The Gallery, looking for me.”
“Shit. She shouldn’t be out with everything going on.”
“She’s going home now.” I turned into Boden’s hold, letting him wrap his arms around me. “I lost so much when Jase died. Sometimes, I forget just how much.”
“Your friendship with Marisa?”
I nodded. “We were both drowning, and I let her float away.”
“That doesn’t mean you can’t swim her way now that you’re stronger.”
I looked up at Boden, who always had the perfect, encouraging words. “We’re going to breakfast tomorrow.”
He pressed his lips to my temple. “First steps. You’ll find your way.”
I hoped he was right because I didn’t want to lose anyone else.
35
Boden
My jaw fellopen as Laiken set down the cereal box. “You didn’t.”
She gave me a devilish smile and shrugged. “Sorry, not sorry.”
I tipped the Lucky Charms box over my bowl. Two measly kernels fell from it, and neither was a damn marshmallow. “You’re going to make me eat Grape Nuts?”
“You bought it for yourself.”
I sank into my chair at the table. “I bought it knowing I’d never actually eat it because I have the deliciousness that is the luck of the Irish. Which is exactly what I’d be doing right now if I hadn’t been betrayed.”
Laiken pressed her lips together to keep from laughing.
“Aren’t you going to get breakfast with your friend anyway?”
She wrapped her arm around her bowl as if protecting it from me. “That’s not for two more hours. I need fuel to hold me over until then.”
I let out a growl and poured some Grape Nuts into my bowl. “You’re cruel.”
Laiken dunked her spoon into her cereal and dribbled a few marshmallows on top of mine. “Better?”
I grabbed her hand and tugged her so she was leaning over the table. Taking her mouth in a slow kiss, I relished her taste—sugar and whatever was uniquely Laiken. “I’ll be taking payment like that for the rest of the day.”
She laughed against my lips. “It’ll be such a hardship.”
I beatout a rhythm along with the radio against the steering wheel.
Laiken’s lips twitched as she watched me. “I take it your arm is feeling good?”
I worked out a drum solo and then glanced in her direction. “It would be feeling better if I’d had some Lucky Charms.”
She rolled her eyes. “Such a drama queen.”
“Hey, if I didn’t love you, there would’ve been some serious repercussions for that theft.”
“Good thing I know I can get away with it.”
I shook my head but leaned over to grab a quick kiss. “You’re a monster.”