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A sob escapes him and he crumbles. My best friend is falling apart right in front of me and there’s nothing I can say or do to make it better. I do the only thing I can. I scoot closer to him, wrap my arms around his trembling shoulders, and wait until the sobs diminish.

Bruno looks at me, and his face is a mask of pain, anger, and despair.

“Five months, damn it. Five fucking months. Is that too much to ask for?”

“No,” I say. “Not when it’s been almost five years.”

“That’s what I said. What kind of love is this? Five months is not too much to ask for. And I’m the one who’s not committed enough?”

I don’t say anything because I know that’s not what he wants from me.

“I drove up there almost every weekend, every break, every chance I had. And that’s what I get? A big fucking ultimatum? Do or die? I couldn’t do it. I walked away. I had to leave before I said something stupid and hurtful.”

“Do you want me to call h—”

“No.”

Bruno cuts me off before I have a chance to ask. He’s proud, and he’s hurt.

My phone buzzes again. River this time.

River: Do we have any dinner leftovers? I’m hungry and it’s snowing harder. I don’t want to stop to get anything.

Me: Yes, we have leftovers.

River: Ok, will be there in ten. Party is boring, I just dropped Becca off. See you soon.

I show my phone to Bruno.

“River will be home in ten minutes.”

He gets up.

“I gotta go.”

“No, you’re in no condition to drive. Stay.”

“I don’t want her to see me like this.”

“It’s snowing harder now. You already drove for hours. Your eyes are nearly swollen shut. Just go into my room, close the door, and wait there. Once River goes to bed, you can leave. Just give yourself a chance to calm down, okay?”

* * *

It’s beenover two hours since River came home and she’s still up. She ate and watched a movie. I stayed with her, as she has the habit of coming into my room if I go to bed before her. An old routine from when we were kids and shared a room. I was afraid of the dark, and River always stayed until I fell asleep. Knowing she was watching over me made me feel safe. I outgrew my fear of the dark, but River still watches over me, still checks on me on nights Logan doesn’t stay over.

“I’m going to bed,” she says in a yawn, the sound of her voice distorted by it.

“Good night, Sis. I’m going soon too. Just want to check a couple of emails.”

I wave my phone at her for good measure and hope she buys the white lie. River waves at me over her shoulder and walks down the hall. I can hear her in the bathroom, and a couple of minutes later, her bedroom door closes. I wait five minutes and then go to the bathroom myself, brush my teeth, and change into my favorite tank top and pajama pants.

It’s quiet across the hall. I tiptoe to my room. The lamp next to my bedside is on and Bruno is fast asleep, curled into a fetal position on the edge of my bed. I check the storm outside my window, the streetlight showing that several more inches have fallen. I don’t want to wake him up. I tug the blackout curtains into place, grab a throw blanket, and cover Bruno. I’ll wake him before River is up in the morning. Tomorrow is Saturday, and she likes to sleep in. The township is good about cleaning the streets, and the roads should be clean by early morning. With a sigh, I get under the covers and turn the lamp off. My heart is breaking for my best friend. I’m glad he fell asleep. He can’t hurt in his sleep.

Chapter Fifty-Two

This wasthe longest night of my life. You’d think being in Vermont, people would be used to the snow by now, but there’s always one guy who thinks he can drive through the white stuff piling up on the roads at normal speed. I had to help rescue three different cars from ditches. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt. Just egos and bumpers got damaged on my watch tonight.

I miss Skye and can’t wait to see her. Having opened to each other crumbled the last wall I had in place. It’s freeing not having to keep my guard up. It’s freeing being able to just be me without the fear of being betrayed or hurt by someone I love.