Page 92 of Shallow

“And miss the stale wafer cookies and Kool-Aid?” Placing my hand over my heart, I fake a dramatic Southern belle-worthy gasp. “Are you kidding me? I live for thatshit.”

Rolling his eyes, he tugs my hand forward and we start walking toward the center again. “Okay, fine, point taken. I’ll driveyou.”

“And Frankietoo.”

He smiles a little too wide and I stifle another laugh. “Of course, I love anaudience.”

* * *

Frankie slamsthe door and slings his worn backpack over his shoulder. “Catch you inside, Snowflake. Don’t be late or I’m eating yourshare.”

“Don’t touch my damn cookies!” I yell out the window at his turned back. He just raises his middle finger in response and walks awaylaughing.

Cary stays quiet, twisting his hands around the steering wheel. I find it mildly amusing that he seems almost shy considering he had his cock shoved in my mouth an hourago.

Shifting his eyes toward me, he finally drops his hands in his lap and sighs. “Shy, I don’t know what this is. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t have a label, and if it did, it’d probably contain a warning. We’re fucked up, you and me. I have no idea where this is gonna lead, but I know I’m game to find out if youare.”

“You mean we’re not just great sex?” I flash him a playful smile and wink, giving him every opportunity to recant his statement and run. Outwardly, I’m the epitome of easy breezy Shiloh, but inside, I’m an F5 tornado, tossing everything I’ve ever known into a wind tunnel because I want his words to be true. I want the warning label. I want to begame.

I wanthim.

Apparently, years of wearing a mask has served me well because all he sees is easy breezy Shiloh and chuckles at myjoke.

“Don’t get me wrong, that’s one hell of a perk, but no. I’m tired of being angry all the time. It’s exhausting, and to be honest, the person I’ve hated for the past seven years doesn’t exist anymore.” Reaching across the console, he takes my hand in his and gives it a squeeze. “You’ve changed and so haveI.”

“Do you meanthat?”

“Yeah,” he says, frowning and looking down at our joined hands. “I think Ellie would be pretty pissed off at the way I’ve held on to a mistake. She was all about living in the moment, looking forward, no matter how little time there was left. I want to live in the moment with you, Shiloh. I always have. Even when I tried to convince myselfotherwise.”

I’m still absorbing his confession when he surprises me with a kiss, our tongues moving in perfect harmony as if this was always the plan. As if we were always supposed tobe.

“When I get out of this meeting, let’s start living.” I don’t care how needy I sound. He can take it however hewants.

He weaves his fingers through my hair and brushes his thumb over my scar. For the first time, I don’t flinch. “When you get out of this meeting, I have something I need to tell you. If we’re going to do this, we need to do it with a cleanslate.”

I ignore the duplicity of his promise. “Then clean slate itis.”

After another quick kiss, I wave goodbye and walk into themeeting.

Cleanslate.

Imaginethat.

Thirty

Cary

Guilt is a powerful thing.Even when life is on the right track and you think you’re keeping it between the yellow lines, your damn conscience creeps up into your blind spot and clips you from behind, sending you spinning into a six-car pile-up.

After dropping Shiloh and Frankie off at their meeting, I decide to kill time by swinging by my parents’ motel. It’s late, but I know since they’re short-staffed, they’ll both be there. Hopefully, since Shiloh has paid off their debt to the McDaniels, they can afford to get some decent help and can take some timeoff.

I slow my footsteps as the gravel pops under my feet likegunfire.

POW.You’re athief.

POW.You’re aliar.

POW.You’re afraud.