Chapter 34

I pull back slightly, tilting her chin up so she has to meet my gaze. “Then let’s take a break. Just for tonight. Let’s forget about Donnie, the job, everything. Just focus on us, right here, right now.”

She looks at me, her eyes searching mine as if she’s trying to find the strength to let go, even for a little while. I smile at her, trying to lighten the mood. “Come on,” I say, standing up and pulling her with me. “I have an idea.”

She raises an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “What kind of idea?”

“The kind that involves forgetting all the crap for a bit,” I say, leading her to the back door that opens out onto the patio. “You trust me?”

She hesitates for a second, then nods. “Always.”

We step outside, and the cool night air washes over us. The sky is clear, dotted with stars, and the sound of crickets fills the silence. I guided her over to the swing set at the edge of the yard, the one we used to sit on when we were kids. It creaks slightly as we sit dow