BooksBarbecue
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

It’s not pressuring or forceful. Each of these stops along the way I’ve been offered an out. An escape plan. His friends haven’t spent the time rambling about what a mistake I might make by potentially walking away or how awesome and wonderful he is. They’ve admitted his faults and indiscretions while sharing insight, too.

There’s only one friend left. Noah.

I don’t know where he’s going to take me, or what’s next, but I’m excited. Exhilarated. I’ve come this far, and I want to see what’s waiting for me at the end.

“This is where I hand you off,” Neil says.

“My office building? Are we going up?”

“Nope. I have your last note, though. Here you go, my friend.”

The final piece of paper is the longest one yet. In the distance, I hear a rumble of thunder.

Hey, sweetheart.

Having fun?

I hope Neil behaved himself.

If not, I’m going to kick his ass.

I miss you, honey.

The last stop is something we have lots of.

We made a lot of it here at the office, inadvertently.

We made a lot of it at school, years ago.

And it’s something I hope we keep making more of.

There’s no one else I want to do it with, either.

When you get there, you’ll see two paths.

Whichever one you decide to pick, I hope it’ll be easy to find the way.

“There she is,” Noah says, beaming at me.

“Hey!” I give him a quick hug.

“How are you doing?”

“Besides walking all over town blindly with guys I’ve only met once? I’m great.”

“You’re a trooper. Do you want to follow the note? Or do you want me to take you home?”

“The note,” I say before I can think twice. “I have no clue what he means, though. Something we have lots of? Sex?”

Noah bursts out laughing. “God, you’ve been spending too much time with him. He’ll be happy to know that’s where your mind went. I’m supposed to blindfold you for this portion. Will that make you uncomfortable?”

“No. I trust you.”

“In that case, here’s a napkin. Wipe your hands and I’ll take the snacks.”

I clean off my fingers, ridding them of the frosting residue left behind. “Okay. I’m ready.”

The blindfold covers my eyes, hiding the setting sun from view. “Are you comfortable holding my arm?”

“Yes, as long as you don’t lead me into a pole or something.”

“I would never. Buckle up, buttercup.”

FORTY-FOUR

EMMA

“Where the hell are we going, Noah? We’ve been walking for twenty minutes!”