31

DANIEL

mistake.

That is what it should be.

Every second from the moment she walked inside and I lost my fucking cool to when she detoDand in my hold as if she’s waited her entire life for me to come along.

As if she’s been saving up for me, for the moment she’d explode all around me, strangle my fingers, and refuse to let them go.

And it all started with when I saw her hopping off the kid’s motorcycle. Her lips were red and her hair was blown by the wind and she was smiling. Wide.

I should’ve looked the other way and kept my distance, as usual—that is what I have done ever since I moved in. I make sure she has everything she needs from afar. Like her stock of vanilla ice cream, her milkshakes—vanilla again—and her favorite fruit, bananas, just because there is not a version of vanilla fruit.

Martha has specific orders to let me know when those things run out so one of us can take care of getting more.

It is all because of Krew, I told myself. If it were him, he would’ve made sure she