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“Oh, myGod,”Ibreathe. “What’reyou doin’ here?”

Hepulls away and juts his chin past me. “Mominvited me, remember?”Hissmile turns into confusion. “Youokay?”

Iblink away the tears forming. “Yeah.Yeah,I’mfine.Justreally glad to see you.”

Weboth squeeze tighter.

Momcoos. “Aw, you two.Y’allhaven’t even been apart for two weeks yet.”

Wechuckle shyly and break apart, but his sight stays trained on me and mine on him.

Dadclaps his hands, bringing us out of a trance. “Sweetpea, you mind runnin’ by the store to pick up a few things?Gonnabarbecue since big man is here.”

“Gimmea little bit and we’ll go,”Isay toTyasIhead for the hallway.Ain’tno wayI’mgoing to the store with gooey egg still in my hair.

Myphone buzzes in my pocket asIenter my room to grab a fresh set of clothes.

Didn’tfind anything except a lameass white boy that shouldn’t be here.

Igroan in annoyance.

Whathappened to you ignoring me?

Whyis he here?

Mominvited him to visit

Don’tget any bright ideas.

Iroll my eyes and toss my phone aside.Twocan play the ignoring game. “Asshole.”

Aftergetting egg and blood out of my hair,Ty’shand wraps around mine in his rental. “DidImentionImissed you?”

“Onlyabout three times before we got in here,”Iremind. “How’dyou manage to get away from the studio, anyway?”

“Uh, well, your name is kinda like a get-out-of-jail-free card.”

“Tsk, did you tell everyone you were gonna try to bring me back toAtlanta?”

Hemakes a face. “Ididn’t say ‘try,’ no.”

Islap his arm. “Ty!”

Heflashes his pearly whites with a crooked incisor as he turns left at the stop sign.

Idon’t know what he says—allIcan hear is the rain and thunder, allIcan focus on is the bridge past the curve we’re fast approaching.

Ashadow moves by the bridge, right where the entrance of the approach lies.

Mynails dig intoTy’sarm andIhold my breath.

Tybreathes sharply through his teeth, groaning. “Shit,Steph, what’s that for?”

Theshadow takes the shape of a man all in black, a cowboy hat on top of his head and enshrouding his face in darkness.

Agloved hand reaches to touch the front of his hat, and he tips his head in acknowledgment.

Ablur flying acrossLosoyaBridgecatches my attention in the periphery.