Chapter 24: Miles's POV

Miles's POV

On the twelfth day, a woman in the lobby of the firm asked for me by my full name.

I knew who it was before I stood up.

I was in a meeting about a parking structure, holding a coffee.

The receptionist leaned in. "There's a visitor," she said. "She says it's personal."

"What's her name?"

"She says you'll know."

I put the coffee down.

For twelve days I had done exactly what Hazel asked.

I had gone to work, and I had come home, and I had not stood on the pier once.

I had learned that without her I could still draw a load path and eat a sandwich.

My boss had told me my sections were the cleanest in the office.

I had also learned that none of it felt like anything.

Hazel had meant the test as a way to find out whether I could stand up.

I could stand up. I just couldn't stand it.

At night, I drew the shed.

It was the only thing that made the hours move.

Nine by twelve, one window, three layers of wall, all worked out down to the screws.

On the second night, I had walked to her building and measured the yard behind it with a tape.

I did it in the dark, and I went home without knocking.

I wasn't proud of that. I wasn't ashamed of it either.

I went downstairs.

Whitney sat on the leather bench by the door with her ankles crossed and her bag on her knees.

Keep reading free with an account. Start He Told Me to Stay Away, So I Left and He Followed from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.