That almost makes me smile.
Almost.
I look back at the valley. At the fog lifting.
I don’t know what Knox will say. I don’t know if he’ll rise to the moment or run from it. But the truth is here now. It’s real. It’s happening.
And I’m done hiding from it.
“I’m gonna tell him,” I say, out loud this time. “I have to. I can’t keep this inside anymore. As soon as I can.”
Dee gives a firm nod. “Good.”
Because no matter what happens next, he deserves to know.
And I deserve to be more than a viral moment.
I shift a little, nudging her with my elbow. “So, now that I’ve completely unloaded my crisis, wanna distract me and tell me all about you and Nova?”
Dee goes very still beside me.
I glance over and catch the way her mouth twitches like she’s fighting a smile. “Don’t think I didn’t notice that you left game night early.”
She groans softly. “Ugh. Am I that obvious?”
“Painfully,” I say, laughing. “Spill it, D. What’s going on?”
She rubs the back of her neck, looking suddenly shy, which is rare for my confident, fiercely direct sister. “Okay. Fine. We’re seeing each other now. Me and Nova.”
My jaw drops. “Wait, really? Like,actuallydating?”
Dee gives a small nod, eyes darting to mine. “It’s really new. Like, ridiculously early days. We’ve been texting for a while, hanging out after her shifts sometimes. But we went on a real, actual date last week. And then another one two nights ago.”
“Dee!” I grin, the first real grin I’ve felt in days. “That’s amazing. Why didn’t you tell me?”
She shrugs, a little sheepish. “I didn’t want to jinx it. And with everything going on, I didn’t want to make it a thing before it was athing.”
My smile softens. “But itisa thing?”
Dee nods, more sure of it this time. “Yeah. I think it is. She’s easy to be around. And thoughtful. She listens. Like, really listens. And she makes me laugh even when I’m in a mood.”
“That’s rare,” I tease.
“Shut up,” she says, elbowing me gently.
“You deserve someone good,” I say, quieter now. “You really do.”
“So do you,” she replies. “Whatever happens with Knox, I just want you to remember that. This baby? It’s going to be so loved. No matter what.”
I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat.
“Thanks, Dee. I appreciate you. More than you know.”
Even if I don’t know what’s going to happen next, at least I’ll always have my awesome sister.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Knox
