I tossed and turned most of the night thinking about our talk. Could that kiss have saved him? Common sense told me no, but I felt guilty that I couldn’t reciprocate his feelings. What if rejecting him put him over the edge? Maybe it wouldn’t have led to anything, but I was afraid of opening a door that we’d decided to keep closed. A piece of the puzzle was missing, and a little girl chat was in order. Novis had left a pair of faded jeans and a blue cotton shirt neatly folded outside my bedroom door. It was obvious that they were men’s clothes and were probably his. We were about the same height and he had a slim build—although I needed a belt. Cheri closed the bedroom door and strolled across the room, relaxing in the chair by the window. The sunlight caught her enviable waves of blond hair. “There’s something I’ve wanted to ask you, Cheri. Do you know why Nero left you and Ray behind that night?” “The other girls were more cooperative and we were new. He drew more light from me than anyone else.”
