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His fingers skim over my arm. “You okay?”

“I just feel... a lot.” I rest my hand over his, stalling his motion. “She was so nice to me after the breakup, though. And... not nice to you.”

“Corrine wasn’t mean to me. She just—” He shrugs.

“I’d hate me if I were her. I’d hate both of us. And then during the last few months, I’dloatheus.”

“But it’s Corrine. She’s mature.” His fingers play with mine for a second longer before he brushes a thumb against my bottom lip. It’s thrilling to experience something brand-new with someone I’ve known for years. “I think she was annoyed with me after we broke up because I didn’t make a move, you know? Like our breakup was pointless if I wasn’t gonna ask you out.”

When will my mind stop being blown today?

“Why didn’t you?” I ask.

He laughs, startling a bark from Bagel outside the door. “Are you kidding me? Even if that wasn’t the biggest dick move, it was still impossible to even get close to you. You were guarding Corrine 24-7 and glaring holes through me.”

“I thought you had cheated on her,” I mumble. “She said there was another girl and I connected the dots.”

“Oh yeah? Do the dots feel connected now?”

“Shut up.” I shove him gently.

“Plus, I wasn’t ready to admit it...” He bites his lip.

“But now?”

He leans in close, his nose grazing mine. “I like you a lot, Saine Sinclair.”

His lips brush against mine and I feel that hole in me slowly repairing itself. I’m kissing Holden.Holden.

“I like you a lot, Holden Michaels.” I can’t say the actual words I want to, the ones that rang so loudly in my head last night, but I think he gets it. I think maybe he even feels the same way.