A Love Soul Deep by Amber Scott Read Free Book Online Page B

crazed pitch. “Jesus, Kim! What are you even doing here?”
    “Moira made me promise to check on you,” she yelled back. “Scared who off?”
    “The guy from the bar!” Idiot! “Who else?”
    Her brow knitted and she gave me a wary stare. “You left with that guy?”
    I threw my hands up. “Get out. Get the hell out right now before I say or do something that will land me in prison!” By the end I was full-pitch screaming.
    Another knock sounded as Moira burst in. “What’s going on in here? You’re waking the whole house. Mrs. Devine looks like she just caught the pope naked.”
    My stomach beat acid upward. I sat on the edge of the bed, both hands to my forehead. Nooooo. Not hours. Please, tell me I had more than just hours. Tell me I hadn’t wasted it on making out. Tell me he would come back once they left, once I made a wish on the locket. The locket!
    I dropped to the floor and began feeling and looking over the surface of the carpet.
    “Sara, what is it? Kim, what happened? Somebody freaking talk to me here.”
    “I knocked. I came in, and she started flipping out. She said that guy was here. Crew? From the bar. Do you remember a guy from the bar?”
    I wanted to kick Kim in the chin and from my crouch plus her sitting position on my bed again, I might be able to do it. But, more than anything, I had to find that locket. “Please be here. Please, please, please.”
    Moira’s face filled my periphery. “Sara, honey. Are you looking for Crew in the carpet?”
    I frowned at her. “What? No. I’m looking for the locket.” Stupid. “I’m fine.” I had to get them out of here. “I just need to sleep. Just tired. Drank too much. I won’t scream anymore. I’ll apologize to Mrs. Devine. I promise. I’ll tell her I thought Kim was an intruder.” She was! “I’ll tell her I had a nightmare.” Still am!
    Something distinctly metal, though soft met my touch. Every cell in my body seemed to sigh. I drew the trinket into my hand and pressed it to my heart. Thank God. I’d found the locket.
    Which meant I could wish Crew back.
    I hoped.
    I stood up and forced my features into an easy smile. “I’m sorry, guys. I don’t know what got into me. Beer makes me a little weird, I guess.”
    “Beer makes you weird?” Kim said, doubt blanketing her tone.
    I gave a sort of circle nod, pressing my lips together in case I told on myself by saying the wrong thing. They eyed me, but finally left.
I put the chain around my neck and pressed the locket to my lips. “Crew, come back to me! I wish you to come back to me.”
Nothing.
“Please, Crew, I wish for you to return to me.”
    I tried a thousand variations and at last, slumped down onto the floor and broke down in tears. I sobbed, the pain racking my chest, my fists to my mouth, fighting to get my sorrow under control.
    I couldn’t believe it was over. Not yet. Not so soon. And yet, I felt shame for not thanking everything magical and holy that he’d actually made it back. I never knew losing him again would hurt so much. I wasn’t sure I would have wished it if I had known.
    All his sweet words replayed in my mind. The images of his eyes, his hands, his mouth, followed. The evidence of our night together stared at me. The empty plates, the dirty glasses. Pie crumbs and pickle juice. I fell asleep there on the floor, clutching the locket.
    When Moira came knocking the next morning, I didn’t want to move.
    “Sara, it’s time to check out, honey.”
    “I’m staying a couple of extra days,” I mumbled, letting Moira help me to a standing position. I immediately went to the bed and crawled under the untouched covers.
Moira sat next to me. “Hey, want to tell me what happened? Kim said you were talking about Crew, honey.”
My eyes stung. My chest squeezed the air from my lungs. I nodded weakly. What did it matter now if she knew?
“Oh, honey. I thought you’d gotten to a good place with Crew’s death.”
I laughed hollowly. “How can death be a