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form-fitting tee.  I could see every curve of her body.  She was so beautiful.  More beautiful than any woman I’d ever seen.
    I finally broke the silence, “Hey, Darcy.”  When she turned around I put one palm up and continued, “Don’t say anything.  Just let me get this out.”  After a deep breath I went on, “I haven’t really thought about anyone but you since that day with Nick when we hung out in the cafeteria.  I’ve spent the last year thinking about you.  I’m trying to figure out how to show you that I’ve changed but I think I’m failing at that.  I just want a chance with you.”
    She let out a long breath. “How long have you been standing there?”
    “I like watching you.”
    She looked determined.  I wanted to go right to her but the look on her face kept me in my place.  “Have you changed, Tom? When I saw all those girls around you that last weekend…,” she trailed off.  She shook her head and looked down as she went on, “I can’t do that.  I don’t want any girls flirting with you, touching you, kissing you,” she met my eyes then and said evenly, “or screwing you. If it’s me then it’s only me.”
    “It’s only you.”
    “I want to believe that.”
    I moved in and leaned down to press my forehead to hers, “It’s only you.”

Chapter Three
     
    Darcy
    After dinner, Tom and I sat on the back steps and talked for over an hour.  Yes, he was totally handsome beyond words and everything, but I also really liked the person he was.  I had my reservations but from Dan, I knew there was more to him than the rugby playing, fun-loving, man-whore everyone thought they knew.  Tom was known among the guys as a good friend who would do anything for you.  I just really liked him.
    As we sat there in the warm air of that early fall night, Tom told me about his parents and three brothers, where he grew up, high school stories, and his dream of eve ntually joining his father’s firm and making a name for himself on Wall Street.  He laughed easily and it made me happy just being near him.  When we talked about my family, he commented on the picture of me as a baby sitting in my mother’s lap that hung in our living room.  “I can’t believe you remember that.”
    He shrugged, “Of course I remember.  I don’t mean for this to sound creepy but I remember thinking how beautiful your mom is and that you look exactly like her now.”
    I tried my best to hold back a tear as I was smiling, “Thanks. I actually love hearing that I look like her.”
    “I’m sorry,” he said, looking confused. “Did I say something wrong?”
    “No! I love that picture too.  It’s just…you don’t know, um, it’s one of the last pictures of the two of us togeth er before she died.”
    “Shit , Darcy, I didn’t know.  I’m so sorry.”
    “Please don’t be sorry.  I tell very few people about it because they usually act so weird and then don’t know what to say to me.  And really, I’m fine.  I think the hard part for me is that she died when I was so young that I don’t remember her at all.  I had just turned two.  The not knowing her is what hurts, you know?  Missing someone you really never had the chance to know.”
    He took my hands in his but looked away and was quiet for a minute.  When he looked back, his eyes were sad. “I always say that I have three brothers.  I mean, I do, but Charlie, the one who was closest in age to me, died when he was eleven and I was thirteen.  I don’t bother telling most people either because I…sometimes I just don’t want to tell the story.”
    I leaned over and kissed his cheek and then we just sat there quietly holding hands.  He broke the silence, “Charlie died of leukemia.  Do you min d me asking how your mom died?”
    “No, it’s ok.  She died in a car accident.  My parents loved to ski.  My dad worked long hours at the hospital back then but whenever they could get away for a few days we headed up to a little