Page 26 of Memories of the Lost

“It’s not very exciting, but you could ... ride with me?”

“Yeah?” He smiled down at her. “I’d like that.”

And then they were kissing again, as if they were fourteen and it didn’t matter that there were other people around. Tillie fell adrift in the impossibility of him, and the iridescent bubble of this moment, and asked for nothing more.

This, now, him.

Her body hummed as they walked the two blocks to her apartment. Clouds obscured the moon, leaving only streetlights to illuminate the world.

But it wasn’t so dark that she didn’t see the figure on her stoop. “Shit,” she swore under her breath.

“What’s up?”

“The ex.”

“Should I go?”

“No.”

Jared saw them and jumped to his feet. He was a long-legged, very good-looking man, but Tillie noticed immediately that he was too thin, and by the uncertain, swaying stance, she could tell he’d also been drinking. Hard. “What are you doing here, Jared?”

“You wouldn’t answer my texts.”

“I told you I was blocking you. Please go home.”

“I just want to talk to you.” He looked at Liam with a sneer. “But I guess you’re not all about talking, right?” He swayed, and she reached out to catch him.

“Let me call you a ride,” she said.

“Fuck you. Fuck him.” He sank down on the step, then raised his head and howled. Literally, like a wolf. She flushed with embarrassment, for him, for herself. “We aresoulmates, Tillie. You know we are!”

Any hopes of having Liam in her bed tonight were rapidly shredding, but this was not okay. “You’re free to sit here,” she said, “but I—we—are going upstairs.”

She took Liam’s hand and led him past Jared, who leaned sideways to let them pass, both strange and utterly polite. He didn’t move as she unlocked the main door, and when they got to the studio at the top of the building, she looked out the window. He was still there, his head hanging.

“Well, that was fun,” she said. “I’m sorry.”

Liam stood by the door. “You have a lot going on in your life right now.”

She ducked her head. Nodded. “I guess you’re going to go, then?”

He was silent a long time. “I don’t want to. But I think I should.”

Her heart dropped. “Okay.”

“Can I still go with you tomorrow?”

“Oh, yes, please!”

“Good.” He backed up toward the door. “I’m not going to kiss you because I won’t go if I do.”

She swallowed her longing to hold him back. “Okay.”

“I’ll see to your ex down there, too.”

And then he was gone.

When she looked outside a few minutes later, Liam was sitting on the stoop next to Jared, who had his head in his hands. She could hear Liam’s voice, calm and kind, and after a minute, they stood up together and walked to the curb. A car appeared, and Jared climbed in. She held her breath for a minute, hoping Liam would come upstairs. Instead, hands tucked into his pockets, he walked away. She watched until darkness and distance swallowed him.