Disgusted with the direction of his thoughts, he yanked off his already loosened tie as he strode into the living room. He stopped dead at the sight that greeted him.

Piper was curled on his sofa, under a quilt he had brought back from Greece many years ago. As if she could sense his presence, her eyelids fluttered and then opened.

She gazed up at him drowsily. “Hi.”

“You said you would call.”

“I couldn’t. I had to think.”

“So, you left me hanging for almost a week?”

She flinched at the ice in his voice, but he could not help that. “I decided it wasn’t something we should discuss on the phone but, um…maybe I should have called and told you that.”

“Yes, you should have. I have been worried. I went by your apartment. You did not answer the door.”

“I wasn’t there. I went to my favorite place to think after trying yours and getting nowhere.”

“Where is that?” he demanded.

“The beach.”

have let me know you

you, you would have talked me into seeing

was what we both needed.” Frustrated anger laced his voice. “At the very least, you could have

think, but it had brought her no peace and despite just waking from a nap, she looked like she

“It is hardly that.”

“Close enough.”

had known you were here, I would have left my office immediately.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly to prevent his volume from increasing. “I was worried. Do you understand that?” Did she

could not see her eyes, and target the

“I figured that out.”

up and came to him, then tilted her head back so their

his

help feeling compassion?

selfish of me. I should have called, no matter how hard it would have been. I kept thinking and thinking, but I couldn’t make sense of anything no matter which way I looked at it. When I finally got here today, it was past four. I really thought I’d take a short nap and you would be here. And then we

late, trying to keep my mind off the fact you did not keep your promise to call.” Almost a week ago, but he had already said that

“This situation is

two friends facing down fear together would work better than each trying deal with it on his or her

away again. “I just…I knew you’d want to get married and I didn’t know what I wanted to

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