“We waived the mandatory waiting period so the lawyer thinks about a month,” she said.

“That’s not long,” I said. We were both quiet. “As incredible as tonight is, we can’t do this again until after the divorce is finalized.”

“I understand.” She put her hand on my chest. “But I want you to know that our divorce has been in the works for a long time, and I’ve been thinking about you for so many years.” Her voice wavered at the end of her sentence.

I wanted to trust her, but I’d been guarded for so long. “We can wait a month. We’ve waited this long.” I looked at the time. It was nine o’clock. “What time do you have to go?”

She looked at the clock. “I still have another hour.” She kissed me softly and sucked my bottom lip into her mouth. There was something so perfect about kissing the person who taught you how to kiss in the first place. It was familiar, and incredibly exciting.

Her hands fluttered down my body, and I braced myself, knowing that I wasn’t going to last. Her mouth was hot against my cooling skin and when she ran her tongue over my clit, I bit back a loud moan. She wasn’t gentle and I didn’t want her to be. I grabbed the sheets and held on as she reminded me what I’d missed for so many years. I came twice before I had to stop her. My body was out of practice, and I knew time was our enemy. When we couldn’t delay her leaving any longer, I held her by the front door and wondered if this was real or a dream. I allowed a sliver of happiness to weave inside my heart when she said this was a new beginning and we were just getting started. Again.

Chapter Twenty-seven—The New Girl

Past

My dad left as Hayley was arriving. She high-fived him on her way in. “Kill it, Mr. McCoy.” She grabbed a Pop-Tart from the cabinet and threw it in the toaster oven. “Nothing beats the high of the first day of school. I’ve been up since four. How do I look?” She twirled in her black combat boots, ripped jeans, and a cute band shirt we’d gotten at Hot Topic last weekend.

I put my forefinger up to my lip as though studying her intently. “The perfect embodiment of an angsty teenager who hates authority. I love it.” I looked down at my athletic shorts and T-shirt and sneakers. “What do you think about mine?”