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Chapters (50)
  1. Prologue
  2. Chapter One
  3. Chapter Two
  4. Chapter Three
  5. Chapter Four
  6. Chapter Five
  7. Chapter Six
  8. Chapter Seven
  9. Chapter Eight
  10. Chapter Nine
  11. Chapter Ten
  12. Chapter Eleven
  13. Chapter Twelve
  14. Chapter Thirteen
  15. Chapter Fourteen
  16. Chapter Fifteen
  17. Part Two
  18. Chapter Sixteen
  19. Chapter Seventeen
  20. Chapter Eighteen
  21. Chapter Nineteen
  22. Chapter Twenty
  23. Chapter Twenty-One
  24. Chapter Twenty-Two
  25. Chapter Twenty-Three
  26. Chapter Twenty-Four
  27. Chapter Twenty-Five
  28. Chapter Twenty-Six
  29. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  30. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  31. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  32. Chapter Thirty
  33. Chapter Thirty-One
  34. Chapter Thirty-Two
  35. Chapter Thirty-Three
  36. Chapter Thirty-Four
  37. Chapter Thirty-Five
  38. Chapter Thirty-Six
  39. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  40. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  41. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  42. Chapter Forty
  43. Chapter Forty-One
  44. Chapter Forty-Two
  45. Part Three
  46. Chapter Forty-Three
  47. Chapter Forty-Four
  48. Chapter Forty-Five
  49. Chapter Forty-Six
  50. Epilogue

Before my mind can talk me out of it, I press accept and put the call on speaker. I remain quiet, not saying anything as I lay the phone beside my head on the pillow. My body rolls onto its side and my hands come up to rest underneath my cheek.

“Cash? Are you there?”

His deep, rich voice brings goosebumps to my skin and a heavy thumping to my chest. If I close my eyes, I can almost imagine he’s right here beside me. Can almost feel his hot breath on my face. Feel the weight of his stare.

When I don’t say anything, he continues. “I’m sorry. Cash, I’m so fucking sorry. For everything. You deserve way more than what I gave you. I miss you. So fucking much. Please…”

His breathing reverberates through the phone. I don’t know why he’s saying please, but it comes out pleading and broken. Desperate.

“There has never been a time I haven’t thought about you over the years, Cash. Never. I just need you to know that. I need you to know I didn’t forget about you, didn’t move on. And I need you to know how fucking… sorry I am.”

The pressure behind my eyes is insurmountable, and my throat aches with a thick ball of buried emotions. My heart is heavy and damn near beating its way through my rib cage, and I have to bite my lip to keep it from quivering, holding back the sob that’s threatening to come out.

I end the call before he can hear me break down. Turning my face into my pillow, I do just that. The floodgates open and I soak my pillow with the missed memories and all the things I want but can’t have. Eventually, sleep takes me and thankfully it’s a dreamless night.

Sunday was spent writing. I drank endless cups of coffee and stayed in my pajamas the whole day, typing away on my laptop until my mind was too tired to think and my fingers were cramped. Sleep somehow came easily to me that night, and by the time I woke Monday morning, I almost felt like a normal human again.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Two

Stone Philips

Two Months Later—Late February

It’s cold as hell outside—well, it’s Texas cold. It’s about fifty degrees out as I make my way to work this morning. It’s a bright and sunny day, and something in the air makes me think it’s going to be a great day.