Page 306 of Bitter’s Sweet

“I haven't forgotten anything.”

“I don't expect you to.”

“You can't behave for a few days and expect everything to reset.”

“I don't.”

“You can't kill Razor and think that makes us even.”

“I don't.”

“You can't make one good public apology and decide you've become emotionally enlightened.”

“I definitely don't.”

Her lips twitch.

“Good.”

“Low bar.”

“You put it there.”

“Fair.”

Sweet looks toward the funeral home, then down at the toes of her pink shoes.

When she looks at me again, there is something different in her face.

“I am closer.”

My heart stops.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Her hand slips into mine.

I look down at our fingers, then up at her.

This feels bigger than sex. Bigger than her arms around me on the bike, because I know exactly how easy it would be to grab onto this and turn it into something she has not offered.

So I simply hold her hand.

Nothing else.

Sweet watches me.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“That ain't true.”

“You didn't pull me closer.”

“No.”