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I chuckled because it was what she wanted, then pressed another kiss to her hair for support.

"But it was spring break and the weather was actually decent, and we were seniors in high school, ready to party. We went to the mainland on Adam's jet skis because that's where the hotels and parties are. It was a good day."

Until it wasn't.

"We ran into my cousin, so I stayed on the beach when they went back out to run along the coast. Some fucking drunk assed idiot decided to take out his son's racing boat and see how fast he could go."

I closed my eyes and sent up a prayer of thanks that Marley hadn't been with them. "I'm so sorry. What an unnecessary way to die."

She sniffled and sat up. "That's what has been the hardest. It was a fun day. Carefree. And someone with no sense got behind the wheel of a missile. He crashed two other boats before he ran aground and almost killed himself, too. We all saw the boat go by. And at the time I just shook my head and called him a fucking idiot for being out there at that speed. Marine Patrol went screaming by. Then Coast Guard. When the helicopters flew over it finally dawned on me that the boat had gone the same direction as my friends." She shook her head over and over.

I pulled her back to me, dropping kisses everywhere.

"Do you know how hard it is to not make that man the villain in every book I write? I hate him. He took my friends before they could live their lives. It felt so good to kill him on the page the first few times."

"I can only imagine."

"I try not to think about him at all now. Just Georgie, Moses, and Adam. It was freeing to answer that reporter's question honestly. Now everyone knows that they might be dead, but they're living new adventures all the time."

"It's incredibly special what you're doing." It was a coping mechanism, but it was also beautiful to love someone so much that you weave them into your life forever. "And the book's success is overwhelming but look at what you've done.Everyoneknows them now. Knows who they were and what kind of people they were. The way you described them...I wish I got to know them."

In a way I felt guilty. I had Scottie, Travis, and Digger. No matter how bad of a friend I was, they were there.

"Have you been close to anyone like that since?"

I felt her shrink in on herself. "Not in college. I survived college. I survived my first job. But my second? The girls there were very friendly. I went out for drinks with them. Then dinner. Next thing I knew we were hanging out all the time. I thought maybe I could do this again. It was time. I couldn't live my whole life and never have another close friend."

Based on her clipped tone, it did not end well. "What did they do?"

"Nothing. Everything." She huffed and stood up.

I let her go because this time she wasn't running. She just needed some space to pace around and let her pent-up anger out.

"The closer we got, the freer they were around me. They were horrible people. They made fun of everyone and everything. They tricked people into doing things. Not because they needed something from them, but because it was a sport. Then they'd sit back and laugh and laugh as they watched whoever it was fall for their scheme. I pulled away and they resented me for it. Started shit-talking about me, too. Luckily that was when my writing started to pay off. I quit and never looked back."

And never let anyone else close.

"What about your writer friends?"

Marley actually smiled. "I love them. They're probably the closest I've had to real friends since...then. We speak the same language, love a lot of the same things, but I don't really let them know too much about me."

"And Charley?"

"Pretty much the opposite dynamic. My writing talk goes over her head unless it has to do with editing. But she knows the dirty details of my life. I can't wait for you to meet her."

I'd had a couple of conversations with Charley when she called Marley, but they were short and pretty surface level stuff.How are you? Treat my best friend right or I'll kill you.Stuff like that.

"Jackson."

I blinked and Marley was in front of me, running her hands through my hair. I groaned.

"You remember when I said I was trusting you?"

My hands went to her hips and pulled her flush against me. "Sexiest thing a woman has ever said to me." She was my dream come true, all bright eyes, wild hair, and mostly naked.

All of that turned me on but giving me her trust spoke to my soul.

She licked her lower lip and tilted her head. That's when it hit me. Really, truly, hit me.