She was up and out of bed before it even had a chance to ring. She felt like a teenager again. Actually, she wasn’t sure whether she’d ever felt this giddy, even when she was a teenager. She’d gone to sleep thinking of Nick and woken up thinking of him. With a start she realized for the first time in over four years, Troy hadn’t crept into her thoughts last night. Maybe it was because she’d realized last night she was tired of running. She’d been running for the last four years, even though she’d been right here. If Nick had figured out everything else, he would sooner than later figure out Troy’s identity. But there’d be no more running on her part. Let the chips fall where they may. For the first time in over four years, she finally, finally, felt in control of her own life again. It was liberating, exhilarating. She gave her mind free reign while she prepped breakfast. Nick might not want to eat when he got here—in fact, she couldn’t wait to get her hands on him again and she was planning on going straight to the bedroom—but they would eat eventually.
