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Taking that last leap, he continued. “I love her, too, you know? I haven’t been able to tell her, but I do. I love that she has the sweetest spirit and that she can turn me inside out with just a look. She’s loving and kind and funny, and it’s hard because that was you, too, but it’s different. I’m different, but with her, I’m better.

“Why am I telling you this? I guess I just hope that this somehow helps me to let go. I’ll never forget you or stop loving the person you were, but if I am going to give Hannah everything I have, I have to take back my heart. My whole heart.”

For some reason, a weight he hadn’t even known had been there lifted off his shoulders, and as strange as it seemed, he actually felt Jenny. Felt her letting go.

Pressing his hand against the grass, he stood. “Good-bye, Jenny.”

Chapter Thirty-Nine

ON MONDAY MORNING, Hannah could hear a thumping noise through the haze of sleep and reached out toward her alarm, hoping to shut off the awful racket. School was out, and it was her day off, so why would she set her alarm?

Sitting up in bed, Hannah realized it was someone knocking.

Milo whimpered from his cage next to her bed, and she let him out.

He tore down the hallway barking up a storm as she followed. She opened the door, expecting to find her mom or dad, but her jaw dropped when she found Blake, holding two coffee cups and a white plastic sack.

“Kenny gives his regards and asked how you were feeling.”

“From the diner? I just saw him yesterday.” Hannah brushed her hair out of her face, stuttering, “What . . . what are you doing here?”

“I’m bringing you breakfast and coffee. Are you going to leave me out here looking like a jackass?”

Stepping back, she let him in and Milo out to do his business. When he finished, he marched past her into the kitchen with Blake, who was grabbing forks from the drawer.

“Blake, why are you here?”

“I told you—”

“No, I told you I needed space and you needed to deal with your baggage, and you just showing up here like everything is the same is confusing and wrong. We can’t just pretend that we don’t have a problem.”

He set the containers of food and cups on the table. “Have a seat.”

“No, I want—”

“I heard what you want, and I’ll give it to you if you’ll just sit your cute little ass down.”

Hannah pulled out the chair and flopped in it with a glare.

“Now,” he said as he sat across from her and took a drink of his coffee, “I have a few things to say. First of all, it was pretty shitty of you to take off in the morning with a Dear John note.”

Hannah’s cheeks burned at his scolding. “I couldn’t take the chance that you’d kiss me until I changed my mind.”

Blake’s smile was understanding, if a little cocky. “Fair enough. Second of all, I went to Texas for Jenny’s memorial.”

“That’s where you went?” Her breathless whisper drew his hazel eyes to hers.

“Yes, and I realized you were right to a degree. I hadn’t let go of Jenny, and I was wrong. I was wrong to start something with you without being completely available.”

Hannah realized where this conversation was going. He was going to tell her she was right, that he couldn’t give her more and that she was right to break up with him. That they could still be friends, and then he was going to say good-bye.

“However, I have discussed my feelings for you, mostly out loud, and come to a conclusion.”

Here it was. “Which is?”

“I love you.”

Hannah thought she’d heard him wrong. “You . . . ”