“Was the stress of the campaign just too much for her?”

Christine stops at one outstretched microphone, and everyone silences. “Right now, we are focusing on getting Sabrina the best medical and psychiatric care available.”

“Who was the woman who pulled you off the stage?” another reporter asks me, shoving a microphone in my face. “How did she know?”

“She was an old friend who also works for the Guy campaign,” I say. “She saw Sabrina reach for the switch with her foot and she knew something wasn’t right. I’m grateful for her fast thinking.”

“That will be all,” the lawyer says, holding out his hand as we make it to the car.

“Where to now?” Christine asks.

“I need to go home,” I say. “I need to see a man about a dog.”

Chapter 28

Liz

Hanna’s bakery is busy today, so I’m grateful she’s letting me hang out in the kitchen. I’m pretending to work, but we all know I’m more in the way than useful.

Drew, Cally’s little sister who works for Hanna after school, snags the spatula from my hand and hip-checks me out of the way of the cookie tray. “Let the experts do this, okay?”

“Sorry.” I sigh, contemplate another cup of coffee, and then decide against it. I’m trying to cut back on coffee and incorporate more fruits into my life. Drew told me I look like I have scurvy.

“If you don’t cheer up here pretty soon, I’m going to take antidepressants.”

I shake my head. “I’m not depressed.” I’m not happy either, but I’m not like I was when I moved to Indianapolis. I’m home and the people who matter to me the most surround me. And the hurt that digs its claws into me and tries to suffocate me in the middle of the night? It’s getting better. I resigned from my position the morning after Sabrina’s epically crazy stunt, and I moved back into my old rental house in New Hope.

“Have you tried sex?” Drew asks. “Sex always makes me feel better.”

I fold my arms. “What do you know about sex?”

She rolls her eyes. “Most of the good stuff. What do you want to know?”

“Drew.” I frown. “Just use two forms of protection, okay?”

“Oh, dude! I’ve been on birth control for years, and with the champion swimmers in this town, I don’t let a guy look at me unless he’s wearing a condom. I swear, there’s gotta be something in the water.”

That makes me laugh. Unexpected pregnancies have seemed to plague my friends. Not me, though. And that’s good. I keep reminding myself that’s good. But I wouldn’t have minded a little surprise baby from my nights with Sam. Even if being a single mom isn’t the dream, I like to think I could have handled it.

“No sex,” I say, finally answering her original question. “I can’t even bring myself to date. I guess I’m afraid to get hurt again.”

“Everybody’s gonna hurt you.” She drops the spatula and turns to me. “You just have to figure out who’s worthy of the pain.”

I frown. “That’s pretty wise for an eighteen-year-old punk.”

“Wisdom by Bob Marley, baby.” She grins.

“But it’s wisdom nonetheless,” Hanna says behind me. She must have sneaked in while Drew and I were talking. “Some people are worth hurting for. Some aren’t. All we can do is choose wisely.” She wraps an arm around me, and I lean my head on her shoulder.

“I miss him,” I whisper.

“I know,” she says. And because she’s my twin and she gets it, she doesn’t say that if I miss him, I should take his calls.

“I don’t know what to do about it,” I say.

“I know.”

“Liz,” Krystal says, poking her head in from the front. “Someone’s here to see you.”

I bite my lip. “Sam?”

“His mom.”

“Oh.” I look at Hanna, who just shrugs. I head up front to see the woman whose husband sent me dirty texts six months ago and whose son stole my heart.

“Lizzy!” She comes behind the counter and wraps me in a hug. “I’m so glad to see you.”

I hug her back and watch over her shoulder as Krystal makes a face. Pretty sure this redefines awkward.

“You saved my son,” she says.

I love your son. “It was instinct.”

“It was a blessing. You are a blessing. I wanted to thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“And before you hear it from someone else, I want you to know I’m leaving Travis,” she says.

“I heard. I’m sorry.” I step out of the awkward hug and cross my arms. “I really am.”

“It’s not your fault, honey.” She sighs. “I should have done it years ago, but I’m an idiot and thought he’d change.”

I drop my gaze to the floor. Yep. Redefining awkward, all right. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Bradshaw. If I could change what happened . . .”

“You know what my mother told me when I married Travis?” she asks.

“What?”

“She said, ‘Some women look for the ones they can’t trust.’ She was right. And I passed that on to Della. I regret that. I regret a lot of things.”

I swallow. “Me too.”

“Don’t regret Sam,” she says. “I know I’m biased because he’s my son, but he is one of the good ones. I didn’t want you to think you needed to stay away from him for my sake. In fact, if you want to do something for me, you should give him another chance. He loves you.”