Chapter 13

“You don’t know how much I regret…” Laramie said, his forehead against mine as we tried to calm our breathing, the hot air visible in the cold.

“No regrets. A new year’s about to start. Let’s make the most of it.” I kissed him one last time, then pushed him back so I could shut the car door. “Take me to this shindig, then let’s come back to your place and make a fresh go of things, agreed?”

I held out my hand, and he took it, his gloved fingers warming my frozen ones.

* * * *

It was close to eleven thirty when we made it inside Chuck’s vast home. Happy people were everywhere, and Evan was dancing up close and personal with the host in the middle of a make-shift dance floor.

“Dance with me?” Laramie asked.

I nodded, and he led me through the crowd to find a spot.

“You know, you’ve always been so skinny. I don’t know how you do it,” Laramie said as he pulled me to him. We swayed to a slow song that had just begun.

“Believe me, I’ve tried to gain weight, but I can’t.”