Page 236 - It Ends with Us

My ha nds are pres sed int o the count er on ei ther side of me. He

takes a step closer and puts one of hi s ha nd s over mine, brushi ng hi s
thu mb across the top of it. I kno w he does n’t mea n for it to be
any thi ng more tha n a comforting ges ture, but when he touches me, it
feel s like a who le lot more. A rush of warmth moves up my ches t and I
immed iatel y drop my ey es to our ha nd s. Atlas pauses hi s thumb for a
sec ond , like he feel s it, too. He pulls hi s ha nd away and backs up a

step .
“Sorr y,” he mutters , turni ng toward the ref rigera tor, pret en ding to
look for somet hi ng . It’s obvious he’s trying to spare me from the
awkwardnes s of wha t just ha ppened .
I walk back to the table and pick up my cards for the nex t round . A
couple of minu tes later, Atlas walks over and takes the sea t nex t to me.
Jimmy shu ffles out a round of new cards to ev er yone. “So, Atlas. How

do you and Lily kno w ea ch other?”
Atlas picks up hi s cards one at a time. “Lily saved my life when we
were kids,” he says, matter-of-fact. He glanc es over at me and wink s,
and I drown in guilt for the way tha t wink makes me feel . Espec ially at
a time like thi s. Why is my he ar t do ing thi s to me?
“Aw, tha t’s sweet ,” Brad says. “Lily saved your life, no w you’re saving

hers .”
Atlas lowers hi s cards and glares at Brad. “Excuse me?”
“Rel ax,” Brad says. “Me and Lily are tight , she kno ws I’m kidding .”
Brad looks at me. “Your life might be complet e crap right no w, Lily,
but it’ll get bet ter. Trust me, I’ve been there. ”
Darin laughs . “You’ve been beat up and preg na nt and hi ding out at
ano ther man’s ho use?” he says to Brad.

Atlas slaps hi s cards on the table and pushes back in hi s cha ir.
“Wha t the hel l is wrong with you?” he yel ls at Darin.
I rea ch over and squeez e hi s arm rea ssuring ly. “Rel ax,” I say. “We
bond ed bef ore you got her e. I actually don’t mind that they ’re
making light of my situation. It rea lly does make it a little les s hea vy.”
He runs a frustrated ha nd thro ugh hi s ha ir, sha king hi s he ad. “I’m

so conf used ,” he says. “You were alone with them for ten minu tes .”
I laugh. “You can lea rn a lot about someo ne in ten minu tes .” I try
to red irec t the conv ers ation. “So ho w do you all kno w ea ch other?”