“You too, Abby. Denny talks about you all the time,” Kiera said, smiling at her. That statement made me happier than it should, and I couldn’t stop my grin.

When the two girls broke apart, I extended my hand to Abby. “It’s nice to meet you, Abby.” I felt myself tensing a little as she turned to fully appraise me. I didn’t want her to gawk at me, or be flustered by me, or have any reaction to me that would take away from her relationship with Denny. But her eyes only briefly scanned my face. Seeing the disinterest made me relax. Good. Denny deserves someone who doesn’t give a shit what I look like.

She demurely took my hand, glancing back at Denny while she did, like she was making sure touching me wouldn’t hurt him. I kind of loved that she did that. He was first in her heart. They were solid. Denny gave her a small nod as he smiled at her, completely unworried, and I loved that too. Maybe Denny finally trusted me too. No…it was Abby he trusted. And that was okay. I wouldn’t blame him if he never trusted me again.

Abby’s eyes returned to me, and her smile widened, showing twin dimples. “It’s nice to meet you too, Kellan. Denny says…good things about you.”

What? She could have slapped me, and I would have been less surprised. Completely floored, I stared at Denny in shock. “You do? Why? I was an asshole to you…”

Denny’s gaze drifted to the floor, and I swear I saw guilt on his face. When he looked back at me, I was sure I saw guilt. Why the fuck would he feel guilt toward me? “And I nearly killed you.” He paused to sigh and run a hand through his hair. “In the end…whose crime was greater?”

Mine. By a longshot. The only reason he’d even come unglued in the first place was because of me. How could he blame himself for something I’d done to him? I was so…annoyed, I had to look away from him. Not only had I caused him pain, I’d caused him remorse too. I’d destroyed a part of him, a part of his innocence. I’d…changed him…and I would never forgive myself for that.

I felt Kiera’s hand on my stomach, giving me comfort, strength. I looked at her face, saw the matching guilt in her eyes, then returned my attention to Denny. “I still took something that wasn’t mine. Even if you feel guilty for the fight…” and you shouldn’t, “…you really shouldn’t ever talk to me again.”