Page 121 of The Run Back Home

For me. For her.

For us.

And as good as it felt—hell, as happy as it made me to know that I'm the only one she's ever been with—maybe knowing the same wasn't true for me was too much for her to deal with.

The whole thing—too much for either of us to handle.

Thankfully, my phone buzzes against the nightstand before my brain has the chance to go anywhere too stupid.

Lenny.

I grab it, swiping open the message, only to see there's another one I missed last night.

Lenny

We both dozed off, but I wanted to get ready for work without waking you in the morning. I needed scrubs and my badge too, so I headed home. I had a great time. Glad you got some sleep.

I exhale a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.

Smiling harder than I thought would be possible, I read the new message.

Lenny

Just realized one of us is still sneaking out after, huh? Guess some things really do never change.

I laugh, dragging my bottom lip between my teeth.

Some things really do never change.

Like how the second I saw Lenny, I wanted her.

And the second I had her, I forgave her all over again.

Maybe that makes me an idiot. Or maybe what we had wasn't as broken as we thought. But if last night proved anything, it's that whatever's still between us didn't fully disappear just because a couple years did.

I picture Vienna and the time that slipped away where I was too busy—too focused on staying the hell away from Mage—to really know her when she was younger.

Regret is a nasty thing. It eats at you no matter where you end up. But if I've learned anything, it's that I'd rather regret the time I spent than look back and wish I had.