Quiet and imaginative, Derek O'Reilly spends a lot of time watching a movie in his head. His fiancé Nathan wonders why Derek hasn't taken any interest in their wedding planning, and Aunt Fran -- his spiritual guru -- would like to know when her guilt-tripping nephew became a kept boy. When she drops Derek's childhood journal on his lap, he's forced to remember the name he's been trying to forget since he was twelve years old. Nicolai Lund. Nick was Derek's neighbor ... and first love. Weeks before Derek's engagement party, a chance meeting with Nick catapults Derek into the past. But Nick isn't that seventeen-year-old rebel anymore. He's a man hardened by invisible scars. A man struggling with grief. As Derek reads through his childhood diary, he realizes what Nick was to him, still is today, and yet might be ... NOTE: This edition has been expanded and substantially edited.

Split

“Enough.” Johan’s jaw tightened. “This is a family matter and this boy needs some rest.” Johan tugged on my arm. “Come on, Derek.”


Aunt Frannie had stopped whimpering. She spoke more coherently. “Red, let’s go.”


I glanced up at Officer Di Paglio, but his eyes quickly strayed, and he nodded. “Okay. Go home, but I’ll be in touch in the next twelve hours.” His attention shifted to Johan’s face. “Before you go, I’d like to talk to you and Mrs. Saint-Jacques. Privately.”


Why? My heart pummeled my chest, and I shot Aunt Fran a nervous glance, fidgeting by the door. “Ca—canwe go?”


“Yes, baby. Just a minute, okay? Why don’t you find Nicolas?” Her cheeks darkened as she said Nick’s name, and she and Johan exchanged a strange look.


Aunt Frannie gently pushed me out of the room. “He’s sitting in the ER, right by the coffee machine. He’s got your clothes.”


Chapter 43