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

Finally, I found a gray sweater I liked and slipped that on. I hurried to the dark and creepy pantry and snatched the ketchup bottle off the bare shelf and raced up the stairs. But I paused on the second to last step, listening.


Lene and Aunt Frannie were obviously enjoying each other’s company. I supposed it can get pretty boring living with me. Then I heard Nick ask, “Can I help with anything?”


“Oh no, it’s fine. I’ve got everything going already.” I rolled my eyes. Aunt Frannie’s tone was so inappropriate. “Why don’t you go find Derek, he’s downstairs, doing God knows what.”


Panicked, I shrunk back, and tiptoed down the stairs. I glanced around frantically and heard Nick opening the door. I jumped on the couch and picked up a magazine. Heard his footsteps. Glued my eyes to the glossy paper. It was upside down. So I hurriedly switched it around.


Chapter 51