Chapter 24

Philip grabs my hand in his. “It’s okay to talk about him.”

“I’m sorry—”

“Don’t be sorry. Russ was a big part of your life.”

“Wasbeing the operative word,” I say.

“I’m not uncomfortable when you talk about your ex-boyfriend.”

“Another reason why I love you so much.”

I turn to the windowpane, listening to sleet pecking the glass. “We’re expecting twelve inches of snow by Sunday.”

Philip looks to the bedroom window and then over at me. “That means we’re going to be snowed in with our families.” My face must look stony scared because he says, “Hey, Chris. What is it? You look far away all of a sudden.”

“It’s the book tour my publisher has scheduled for me next week.”

He rearranges his body in a spooning position. “What does your schedule look like?”

I exhale. “Two days of book signings and lectures. But I’m going to be out of town for most of the time.”

“It doesn’t sound too strenuous.”

“I told my publisher that I didn’t want to travel too far from home during the holidays.”