19
ZAC
As soon as Javier was gone, I glanced down at Mari’s face. Except looking into her big, brown eyes f*****g hurt. It sent a sharp, piercing pain straight through my chest as the phrases bedroom window, cute little notes, and run-down wharf echoed through my head.
But tears were swimming in her eyes, and she looked scared to death, so I decided to focus on my own issues later.
“You okay?” I asked.
Her entire torso shuddered as she shook her head. Then she leaped at me to hug me hard.
At first, I tightened in resistance, unable to ignore the stinging slight I felt to learn that so many of our past encounters hadn’t been that unique or exclusive at all. I had assumed they belonged to us alone. But then I swallowed and pushed that nastiness down so I could finally lift my arms and
