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“Is that so surprising?”

“I suppose not. It only would be if you have an extremely small social circle and no hobbies.”

“Which fits exactly with your impression of me?”

Amber chuckled. “Only a bit.”

“Then I don’t know why you would find it surprising.”

“It would seem you are right. I don’t know why I did either.”

Christopher chuckled, and the pair shared a look.

“Regardless of how you feel about it, thank you for helping me. I don’t know how I would have gotten through this party if it hadn’t been for you.”

“Don’t thank me. As strange as it might be, I really was happy to help.”

From there, things moved to lighter topics. The pair sat there, talking and gradually moving closer and closer until Amber finally fell asleep against his shoulder.

The moment it happened, Christopher drew in a sharp breath.

He couldn’t help but feel touched at the trust and vulnerability she was giving him through this one simple, seemingly involuntary act.

It only made him surer of his conviction.

He knew what he needed to do next. All that was left was to wait until morning then he could set her free.

CHAPTER16

Christopher’s back groaned in protest when he slowly started to wake, eyes still squeezed shut against the pale morning light pouring in through the thin gauzy curtains. They were perhaps the most offensive thing about this room, and in that moment made him reconsider complaining about his room assignment.

Still, it hadn’t been that bad when he slept in the bed. Christopher supposed that was what he got for sleeping on the floor. He knew he should sit up, but all he wanted was to pull the covers off his bed onto the floor with him and fall back to sleep.

“Mental note never to do this again,” he said more to himself than anything else. He stretched, and his back let out an ungodly pop. He winced at the sound “How are you feeling Amber?”

There was no response.

Maybe she was still sleeping. For a moment he listened for the sound of someone else breathing or snoring or shifting in her sleep.

But there was nothing.

Christopher frowned.

“Amber?” he called again, opening his eyes. He looked to where she had fallen asleep, but she was gone.

That was when he realized he was alone. Christopher’s eyes darted around in a panic.

“Amber?” he called, hoping he was wrong.

But he wasn’t. She was gone, and all that was left in her wake was a single letter sitting on the night stand.

The second he spotted it, he snatched it up. His name on the envelope was done in swirling handwriting.

He tore it open as fast as he could.

Dear Christopher,

I’m sorry for just disappearing. I’m sure it must be jarring to wake up alone after last night, but I thought it would be easier this way.