Page 86 of How We End

“No one has ever said they loved me.”They loved parts of me.The parts they could consume.The parts they paid for.“And I would’ve believed you.”Because that night, as he lay asleep in my arms, I had wanted to protect him from my life.If I had been stronger, I would have sent him away.But I missed him so much.

I laid my head on his chest, letting this moment leave its mark on me.For once, I had found what was at the end of the sunset.

I found the silver lining.

CHAPTERFORTY-ONE

WYATT

December 25

“We didn’t get any beer,” I said as we pulled into the driveway.

“We have plenty of beer.”Julian smiled as he put the car into park.

“They knew.”I looked to the house, thinking how people I barely knew had all joined in to make this moment special.

“Yeah.I’ve had this planned for a few weeks.”

Now I wished I had some grand gesture for him.I had gotten him something small.It wasn’t life-changing.“I’m afraid what I got you isn’t as spectacular.”

“Is it that black lace corset?”

“No.But when we get home, I’ll wear it all day for you if you’d like.”

“I would.You’ve given me something that I didn’t think I could ever find again.”

“You can find that corset online,” I teased.

“I might need that site.Valentine’s Day is coming up.”He leaned in and kissed me.“You gave me my confidence back.”

“No, Julian.That’s all you.I just turn down all the noise.”

He ran a thumb over my knuckle.“We agree to disagree.When we get back in there, Anders is going to want to play Pictionary.Please say you want to.This is his big moment.”

“Okay.”I wished we were alone right now.But I guess that wasn’t how friendships worked.

We made our way back into the house.I could hear Tyler and Hannah arguing about stats as I slipped off my boots.

Teigen and Raylee both smiled and winked at me.

“Did you get the beer?”Tyler called.

“Shut the fuck up.”Walker threw a pillow at him.“You’re just in time for our next game.And this is for room choice next year.”

“And since it’s rooms we’re playing for, the teams will be made up of couples,” Hannah said, laying out all the pieces of the game.

“Wait.”Tyler stopped.“Who am I with?”

“You can be with us,” Mason said.

“He can take my place.I hate this game,” Teigen complained.“I’m so bad at it.”

“Come on, Teigen, be a team player,” Raylee said.“And since Jules is captain, Wyatt, you two go first.”

“I’ll draw,” Julian said, handing me a glass of wine.

“You know how to draw?”I asked Julian.