The Bound Between Us

Chapter 912

Anastasia sat on the hardwood floor, hugging her knees, as time slipped by in slow, silent drops.

Her legs were numb, but the weight in her chest had finally started to ease. The storm inside her was quieting, little by little.

Suddenly, a flash of light flickered across the window. Fireworks?

Who on earth sets off fireworks this late?

Curiosity pulled her to her feet. She crept over to the window and peeked out- then nearly doubled over with laughter.

There, in the backyard, was Herman, waddling around in a fat, puffy orange mascot suit. He looked like a giant tangerine come to life, straight out of a cartoon. In each hand, he clutched a sparkler, waving them around and sending showers of sparks into the night.

He glanced up, caught her watching, and lit up with the goofiest, brightest grin.

As the last sparkler fizzled out, Herman-still in his absurd orange getup-broke into a dance. Not just any dance, either: this was full-on preschooler mode. He made heart shapes with his arms, spun in wobbly circles, kicked his feet, flapped his arms, and wiggled his behind.

Anastasia had never seen this side of him. She felt her throat close up, her eyes sting. This was all for her-just to make her smile.

Then, out of nowhere, Herman tripped and toppled over. Anastasia's heart jumped, but before she could even call out, he'd tucked his arms and legs inside the suit, turning himself into a perfect, oversized orange. And then—he started rolling around the grass.

She let out a snort, then burst into helpless laughter, tears streaming down her face.

Herman came to a stop, sprawled on the lawn with his limbs sticking out. If she squinted, he looked more like a turtle than the CEO of a tech company.

cutesy poses, flapping his arms and making faces,

the middle of the night, making a complete fool of himself just to

laughing, it

arms and legs back into the costume and went completely still.

he didn't move. Curiosity won out. She hurried downstairs and out the door, crouching beside the orange

squishy surface. “Hey,

suddenly rolled in a circle around her. Then, like a magician, Herman's head popped out of the top, a

he puffed out his cheeks and, with a silly burp, spat out a handful of colorful jelly

She poked at a jelly bean, grinning. "Seriously, Herman? Since when do you do magic

it was real. "Are you secretly a PEZ machine? Emmie and Nancy would lose

fireworks, danced around in a giant orange suit, and conjured up candy-all just to lift her

this since... well, since everything changed. This

the pain faded.

out of the costume and plopped down

looking more like a giant teddy bear than a

mischief. "This is my secret weapon. Can't let it out of the bag for just anyone. From now o Pon, it's only for you.

teasing gaze made her heart melt,

but laugh. "Okay, pulling a flower out of

one thing; but how'd

Did you