I snorted. “So you’re only staying with me for the food, the in-house toilet, the fire, and the cat?” Aubrey laughed and squeezed me, snuggling in that little bit more. “You’re forgetting one very important thing,” he murmured. “Yeah? What’s that?” I asked, fully expecting some smartarse remark. But he didn’t joke at all. His reply was quiet and made my heart bloom. “You. I’m only here because of you.” He fell asleep in my arms and I stared at the ceiling for a long time, listening to him breathe and to the voice of reason in my head. Tell him to stay another day, Patrick. It was strange how
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