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uneasiness in him.
    “Is everything okay, Will?”
    “Yeah, yeah, everything’s great. And don’t worry about Mama, she’s at her charity work today.”
    Relief washed over Debra. So Will’s house was empty, unless their housekeeper was still there. Mrs. Bradley was nothing but polite to her. But Angie understood she was persona non grata in Violet’s opinion. White and poor. Not a match for Will.
    As they got to the house, the wind picked up.
    “The storm’s coming in quick.” Deb lifted her face to the breeze that was getting colder by the minute.
    “You’ve loved storms since we were kids.” Will stared at her and she gazed back at him.
    “Yes, I suppose I have. You noticed that?”
    “I notice more than you ever realize, Deb.”
    Will’s handsome face looked so good to Deb. But she noticed the twitch along his jawline.
    He kept staring at her as though he’d never seen her before.
    “What is it, Will?”
    He swallowed visibly and drew in a deep breath.
    “Deb, you know I’m going to Howard University in the fall.”
    The pain that pinched her stomach frightened her.
    “Yes, I know that. But it’s only February.”
    “My senior year. You’ll be in college in two more years yourself, Deb.”
    “Yes, yes, I will.” And she couldn’t wait!
    “Maybe Ivy League.”
    “Maybe.” She’d worked so hard on her studies, in the hopes of a full scholarship.
    “My point is that we’ll be far away from each other after this year.”
    “Will, we’ll still be friends!”
    “I don’t want to be just your friend, Deb.”
    “Oh.” It was her turn to swallow. Her insides trembled and it wasn’t from the cold or wind.
    “Deb. You mean the world to me.”
    Will pulled off his backpack and dropped it on the concrete porch. He stepped closer to Deb, leaving barely an inch between them.
    “I can’t imagine my life without you.” He placed his hands on either side of her face. Debra thrilled to the electric shivers his touch sent across her skin.
    “I know.” She couldn’t say anymore, daren’t. She didn’t want tears to mess this up.
    “Deb. May I?”
    “Yes.”
    He lowered his head and she watched it all. Will’s dark, smooth skin. His eyelids lowering, his breathmaking a cloud between them. His lips touched hers and Debra closed her eyes.
    It was better than Debra had ever allowed herself to imagine. Will was sweet, tender and very much a gentleman. After the first contact he continued to kiss her, over and over.
    Debra had never experienced anything so delicious in her entire life.
    “Will!”
    Will and Debra jerked apart at the shrill sound of his mother’s voice.
    Debra looked over her shoulder and saw Mrs. Bradley standing in the entry behind the storm door. They hadn’t heard it open.
    But Violet Bradley had heard them. Apparently her charity work wasn’t today, after all.
    Will recovered first.
    “Hi, Mom.” He leaned down and grabbed his backpack.
    Deb stood there, shaking. Her most exciting moment had quickly soured. Violet Bradley hated her. Tears of humiliation and pride pricked at Debra’s eyelids.
    “Get in here, son!”
    “Yes, Mom.” Will shrugged, turning to Debra.
    “I’ll meet you in the office in a few minutes.”
    “Okay.” Debra nodded at Mrs. Bradley. She didn’t wait for an acknowledgment. The look on Violet’s face told Debra that Will was in for a battle.
    Debra all but ran down the steps and back through the woods to the office. After saying a quick hello to her own mother at the receptionist’s desk, she sat down inthe back inventory room where she and Will usually did their homework.
    Debra pulled her trigonometry out of her backpack and opened her binder to her notes. She settled into her English assignment, The Tempest, while she waited.
    Will never came.

CHAPTER SIX

    Present Day
Buffalo, New York Debra

    I T WASN’T EASY to keep from bursting into torrents of laughter at the shocked look on Angie’s face.
    What, did she think her parents never