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Back The Companion Project Save as PDF
Chapters (89)
  1. Dedication
  2. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  3. ONE
  4. HENRY
  5. TWO
  6. EMMA
  7. THREE
  8. HENRY
  9. FOUR
  10. EMMA
  11. FIVE
  12. EMMA
  13. SIX
  14. SEVEN
  15. HENRY
  16. EIGHT
  17. NINE
  18. TEN
  19. HENRY
  20. ELEVEN
  21. TWELVE
  22. EMMA
  23. THIRTEEN
  24. HENRY
  25. FOURTEEN
  26. HENRY
  27. FIFTEEN
  28. SIXTEEN
  29. EMMA
  30. SEVENTEEN
  31. HENRY
  32. EIGHTEEN
  33. HENRY
  34. NINETEEN
  35. HENRY
  36. TWENTY
  37. TWENTY-ONE
  38. EMMA
  39. TWENTY-TWO
  40. EMMA
  41. TWENTY-THREE
  42. HENRY
  43. TWENTY-FOUR
  44. EMMA
  45. TWENTY-FIVE
  46. EMMA
  47. TWENTY-SIX
  48. EMMA
  49. TWENTY-SEVEN
  50. HENRY
  51. TWENTY-EIGHT
  52. EMMA
  53. TWENTY-NINE
  54. HENRY
  55. THIRTY
  56. HENRY
  57. THIRTY-ONE
  58. HENRY
  59. THIRTY-TWO
  60. EMMA
  61. THIRTY-THREE
  62. HENRY
  63. THIRTY-FOUR
  64. EMMA
  65. THIRTY-FIVE
  66. EMMA
  67. THIRTY-SIX
  68. HENRY
  69. THIRTY-SEVEN
  70. EMMA
  71. THIRTY-EIGHT
  72. HENRY
  73. THIRTY-NINE
  74. HENRY
  75. FORTY
  76. EMMA
  77. FORTY-ONE
  78. HENRY
  79. FORTY-TWO
  80. FORTY-THREE
  81. EMMA
  82. FORTY-FOUR
  83. EMMA
  84. FORTY-FIVE
  85. HENRY
  86. EPILOGUE
  87. ALSO BY CHELSEA CURTO
  88. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  89. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“I think the hardest part about all of this is that for a moment, I believed Henry was different. I felt bad for judging him so quickly and made assumptions about him. He played the part well, pretending to be interested in me and getting to know me, acting like the perfect, doting boyfriend. Until something better came along. Something better than me will always come along. What a joke.”

“Stop that,” she snaps, frowning at me. “Whoever your king is will love you for you. For being wholly, authentically, uniquely you.” Nicole hesitates, wringing her hands together. “But.”

“But what?”

“Ugh, I debated telling you this but my conscience won’t let it go. Henry was still outside your house when I got here the other night.”

“Okay. And?”

“Look. You know I’m always on your side, Em, but he was pretty beat up. He was crying. And moping around like a lost puppy, hoping you would reopen the door. He told me he missed you already and you’re his perfect other half. He didn’t say the L word, but it was so heavily implied I kept waiting and waiting for it to slip out.”

I scoff. “Henry doesn’t love me.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Do you honestly believe he doesn’t? Look, whatever you decide to do, I’ll be on your side. And I know you’re waiting for a glaringly obvious sign about what path you should take. You’re a rational person whose brain is her most frequently used organ, making decisions based on practicality. I think it would do you some good to listen to your heart for once.”

“My heart is a jumbled mess,” I sigh, bringing my legs to my chest. “It doesn’t know what it wants, either.”

“Give it another day or two. Maybe the sign you’re waiting for is out there and just taking a little more time.”

“Thank you,” I whisper, reaching over and squeezing her hand.

“I love you. And because I love you, I have to say, you stink. C’mon. I’ll set up some candles for you and get a hot bath going. How does that sound?”

“What did I do to deserve a friend like you?”

“We’re past the deserving phase. You’re stuck with me for life, whether you like it or not.”

Ninety minutes later, after an exquisite bath, dinner delivered from my favorite restaurant, and a glass of wine, I give Nicole a hug, bidding her goodbye and letting her know I’ll text her soon.

Finally clean and fed, I’m ready to reintroduce myself back into the world. Nicole’s right. This stops now.

Tomorrow, I’m going to the office.

Tomorrow, I’ll face him.

And maybe, in a day or two or three, I’ll finally have the sign I’m waiting for.

FORTY-ONE

HENRY

Two days.

She hasn’t been at work in two days.

Two agonizing, never-ending days.