"It's okay if you can't say it back," Vera said before planting a kiss on Casey's chest. "I just wanted you to know, that's all. You're the most wonderful person in the world and I hope to convince you of that someday."
Her words made a crack in his haze of terror. He forced himself to breathe. This was Vera. Vera! The nicest person he had ever met. Her version of love didn't hurt. She had been nothing but good to him this whole time. She wasn't Candy.
"I…I…"
Casey tried to say something, anything, but he couldn't. He didn't even know where to start.
He couldn't tell her about Candy. He couldn't tell her why he didn't get involved with people. Why he didn't—couldn't—love. Why he had made a terrible mistake thinking this would be okay.
He couldn't tell her about any of that. All he could do was hold her closer and kiss the top of her head, wishing he was anyone else.
