“That’s a bad thing?”

Her lips twitch, and she gives me a wry look as she rounds the car, falling into line with me on the sidewalk. “Very funny. It wasn’t in a cute way, though. It was obsessive.”

My good humor fades, and I stick my hands into my pockets, sidestepping a couple looking in the window of a hat shop. Damien’s voice comes back to me. You’re mine. “I thought it was all in my head,” I admit.

“Definitely not,” she says seriously. “It’s normal to be crazy about the person you’re with, but that boy took things to new heights. One time you had to block his number because he was calling you too much. It wouldn’t surprise me if he had a lock of your hair in his bedroom somewhere.”

Audrey shudders, and there’s a part of me that feels relieved that my gut instincts weren’t misguided. However, the rest of me is deeply disturbed.

“Ugh, I don’t want to talk about him anymore,” I say.

Trying to distract myself from all thoughts of lovesick obsession, I take in all the stores lining the street, able to read their titles better up close. I’ve driven through downtown many times since leaving the hospital, but it’s my first time actually checking everything out. The smell of espresso hits my nose as we pass the open door of a coffeehouse next to a kitschy furniture store, and I peer at the colorful items inside.

“Where should we go first?” Audrey asks.

I squint, scanning the options. Across the street, movement catches my eye, and I look over in time to see Officer Edwards heading down the concrete steps of the post office. I haven’t forgotten about his visit, when Sofia was quick to usher him out the door, and I doubt he has either. I’ve been wondering when we would cross paths again.

He glances in my direction, and I duck my head.

“Let’s go in here.” Without taking the time to look at the name of the store, I veer into the nearest shop, and Audrey scrambles to follow me.

A bell jingles overhead as we enter, and I quickly realize we’re inside a secondhand bookstore. The lighting is dim, the room filled with bookcases that are practically overflowing, stacks of extra books piled on the floor. A clerk nods as I walk past, wanting to get as far away from the window as possible. On the off chance Officer Edwards didn’t see me, I want to stay off his radar.

Audrey trails behind me, taking in the multitude of titles we pass as we head to the back corner of the store. We come to a stop, and I look over my shoulder, but the shop remains quiet, and we appear to be the only ones inside.