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made it to that point. She’d seen it time and time again. Had it proved to her

over and over, until she vowed that she wouldn’t take the chance on love

and happiness and all that gooey, romantic crap that went along with it.

Neither of them said anything else until Kiera pulled up outside an older

apartment building. . The whole neighborhood was filled with smaller

sixties style houses with even smaller yards, and interspersed with rental

complexes.

Romi cleared her throat. “Uh, thank for the ride. You seriously didn’t

have to do that.”

“Here. I’ll give you money for a cab ride to get your car.”

“No. No way.” Romi slipped easily out of the truck. She grabbed her

lunch bag and sneakers and flashed Kiera a smile that made all the furious

pounding that she was trying desperately to avoid start back up again. “I

had fun today. Minus the blisters. I’ll be better prepared next time. No tuna

sandwiches that have to be refrigerated and my own pair of boots. And

socks. But really. This was probably the most fun I’ve had at any job in…

ever.”

“I’m…I’m glad,” Kiera stammered.

Romi closed the door, waved, and spun. She limped on gauze covered

feet, like it was the most natural thing in the world to arrive home with feet

looking like they’d just been caught in a carburetor. She didn’t turn around.

The backyard of the smaller pale blue house with the white trim had a white

fence surrounding it. Romi let herself in the side gate and disappeared.

Out of sight, but not out of mind.

No, Romi was never going to be out of mind, no matter how hard Kiera

tried.

Chapter 8

Kiera

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; “What’s up? I can tell something is up. If something is up with you, my