“My entire life before the accident was one big fuckup, and things aren’t going well on the second go either.”

“I think you should give yourself more credit,” he says. “I’m being serious. The person you are now seems a lot different from the person you used to be.”

“You’re just saying that.”

“I’m not,” he remarks. “People can change, and you’ve certainly proven that.”

“I don’t know if what happened to me counts as actual change. My memories got erased, that’s it,” I point out. “Who’s to say I wouldn’t make all those mistakes again if I went through the same stuff now? Clearly I have it in me.”

“I think losing your memory has brought you back to the bones of who you are.”

“But maybe it’s just about circumstance.” I pause, thinking. “It seems like I got swept up in things that weren’t actually important. Like all I cared about was the way everyone else saw me.”

“Either way, you’ve been given a second chance,” he reminds me. “Most people don’t get that.”

“I guess so.”

Mason glances at me, seeing the trepidation on my face. “You should get some rest,” he advises. “You look exhausted.”

“I always look exhausted,” I tease. “It’s part of my charm.”

He chuckles fondly. “I can set up camp on the couch again.”

Standing up, he begins to walk toward the hallway, but I reach out, clutching his arm and surprising both of us. His eyes, lit up with curiosity, flicker to mine, and I flush, pulling my hand back when I realize what I’ve done.

“Actually,” I start, my heart rate picking up with nervousness. The idea of being by myself right now is harrowing, and the living room feels too far away when there are a number of dark rooms in between. “Maybe you could sleep in my room?” I suggest, trying not to cringe when I see his startled look. “I just—I don’t want to be alone right now.”

“Of course,” he says, and it only serves to kick-start my heart again.

“Just give me a minute to change.”

He nods. “I’ll meet you upstairs.”

I rise from my stool, feeling shaky again as I leave the kitchen. I do a quick sweep of my bedroom when I arrive, trying to see if there’s anything embarrassing lying about that needs to be tucked away, but it seems to be pretty clean. My heart continues to thump away in my chest, and I try to calm down, reminding myself that he’s just going to keep me company; nothing else is going to happen. After changing into something more comfortable, I leave the door open.