“Thank you, Lauren.” His voice and eyes are full of sorrow, sincerity, and concern. And for the first time in my life, I’m able to read the face looking at me. There’s nothing hiding the emotions there, nothing trying to camouflage them. “Hey, gorgeous,” he says to her. In the briefest second, he turns toward me, his smile familiar, and he winks at me. My breath hitches. And as fast as the moment happened—before I can verify it even did happen—it’s gone.
