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to me in bed telling me how much she missed me. I should have left then…I should have walked out the door that night and never looked back, but I didn’t…I stayed.”
    “And?”
    “And I called Margot the next morning. We met that night…and well…it just kind of got easier after that. Soon, another one of Lorena’s friends dropped by…leaving me her card, and then the circle of friends expanded, until I was…”
    “Doing a lot of pro bono work?” I asked, my eyes filling with tears.
    “No, they paid me…well.” He looked away from me and said, “Abby, I made a lot of money. Some weeks I made close to five thousand dollars, and other’s more like ten. These women have so much money and they hand it out like candy…”
    I gasped, “Ten thousand dollars…a week? How many…never mind, I really don’t want to know.”
    He took another deep breath, “I told you before…A lot. And, before I knew it, I had a client list a mile long. I bought another cell phone just as a business line. I was terrified you’d find out, and I didn’t want you in any way associated with my…clients or business. It was getting out of hand, and I was exhausted, my grades were suffering, but I couldn’t stop. I know it sounds stupid, but I just didn’t want to let them down…and I guess, in some ways, I was angry with Lorena and I was trying to get back at her.”
    “I wondered how you suddenly had so much money. I guess I was afraid to ask.”
    “Abby, look at me. ” He reached out and gently grabbed my chin. "I swear I haven’t touched any of them again…not since I made you that promise. I swear it! I moved out of Lorena’s house that night. And, I haven’t been back even once.”
    “Where did you go?” I asked.
    He sighed and said, “I went to Margot’s…and before you say anything, it’s not what you think. We’re just friends, now. I swear I haven’t touched her, either. She’s one of the reason’s I came back here, to you. I wasn’t going to. I know I made you that promise, but I was determined not to keep it. I only said it at first so that you’d call Tyler off. I just wanted you to wait. I wasn’t coming back, Abby. Margot talked me into it.”
    “Why?”
    “Because she knew…”
    “She knew what?”
    “She knew…I was in love with you, even before I did. She told me I’d be a fool to give you up. She said you don’t find true love often and that I’d be making the biggest mistake of my life if I didn’t come back. She was right.”
    I wanted to reach out and hold him tight, but we had to get it all out first, “Are you still living with her?” I asked, curious.
    “No. I stayed for a week, just until I found my own place. I told you I have a lot of money now, Abby.” He stood up and walked over to the desk in the corner of the room. He walked back and handed me a savings account booklet.
    I looked up at him and he told me to open it. 
    I drew in a deep breath when I saw his balance and started shaking once again.
    He handed me the other book. I didn’t want to open it, but he insisted, stating he had to get it all out in the open. I opened the book an d saw that it was in my name and there was twice as much money in the account he opened for me as there was in his own. I looked up at him, but I was speechless.
    “It’s college money…plus…whatever you want.”
    “I don’t know what to say.”
    “Say that you still love me…that you might be able to forgive me…someday. Say you don’t hate me, please?”
    I could see the pain in his eyes and I knew he was still torturing himself. He was exhausted, I could see it, feel it. “Is that it? Is that everything?” I asked.
    He nodded, but looked down.
    I grabbed his hand and led him to his bedroom.
    “Abby, I don’t think I can…”
    “Shh, we’re just going to sleep.”
    “I should take you home…”
    I walked up to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. He followed suit by wrapping his arms around my waist and