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Amber Blake is having dreams, and they just might be the key to saving her best friend, Mark.
Unfortunately, she's too preoccupied pretending to hate the boy next door, Carter Hayes. Secretly hoping to rekindle what once was, Amber atte...
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"He left."
Chloe's waiting for me when I walk into the hallway. It took me forever to regain my composure after Carter stormed out; I had to down the last shot before I could even open the door. I wipe under my eyes again in a feeble attempt to hide how upset I am.
"Did he say where he was going?"
"Nope. Didn't even take a coat with him. Just grabbed his keys and left."
Leaning against the wall, I tilt my head back and sigh towards the ceiling. "Well. I fucked that up."
"Big time, buddy. It was a shitty thing to say, I won't lie." Chloe's always been blunt, and she doesn't hold back now. "But he'll come back, eventually. He always comes back to you."
I don't respond. My head is pounding, both from the meeting and dehydration after all the alcohol and crying. Chloe didn't see his face before he left. I've never been a betting girl, but if I had to place one, it's that Carter's already halfway back to New York by now.
"I gotta go," Chloe adds, shrugging her bag further up her shoulder. "My wife is waiting none-too-patiently for me at the airport. I'll call you tomorrow?"
I nod and walk her to the door, reluctant to see her go. Just before she heads out, she pulls me into a comforting hug.
"I know you want to save Mark, but be careful, Amber. Don't ruin the good things in this life trying to get back to one that might not exist."
She lets me go and rushes to her car before I can respond. As I watch her back out of the driveway, I make a choice to focus on what I can control. As guilty as I feel about what I said, time isn't a luxury I can afford to waste. Because even with everything I've put together in the last few hours, there's still one question I don't have the answer to.
How do I get back? And is that something I can even control?
Ok, so maybe two questions.
I shiver as crisp morning wind cuts through the neighborhood. I'm about to duck back into Carter's house, but I get sidetracked by my own. It's strange standing here like an outsider looking in. I've never given the place much thought before, but with the craziness of the last few days, I find myself wanting to walk through the front door again.
