What happens if I love Ifeoma and she leaves too?” He pulled the truck to the curb, put it in park, and gathered her into his arms.

“When your mom was sick,” he said into her hair, “she told me something I’ve never forgotten.

She said her biggest fear wasn’t dying.” Winnie looked up.

“What was it?” “That you and I would be so afraid of hurting again that we’d stop letting people in.” She pressed her face to his chest.

“Loving someone is always scary when you know you could lose them,” he said.

“But closing your heart doesn’t stop the pain, sweetheart.