“I love you, kiddo.” He gives my hair a quick tug. “I guess it does.” Owen hops back into his truck and takes off down the street.
Grant comes up and wraps his arms around me. “He hasn’t rearranged my face yet, so I guess it’s a good sign.”
“Are you kidding?” I look at him from over my shoulder. “He’s saving that for when my chastity belt goes missing.”
A groan comes from deep inside of him.
“Hey, I know.” I exaggerate the words in a playful manner. “How about we pry that thing off right now?”
Grant melts into me with a lust-driven look in his eyes. His entire affect brightens at the thought. “How about we go to one more place before we make that happen?”
I can’t help but frown at his efforts to stave me off. “Okay, but just one.”
Grant piles us into his truck and drives through Hollow Brook, past the trails that lead to the Witch’s Cauldron, past the stretch of town I once called home, right past my old high school with all of its painful memories of never belonging, never wanting to stay.
Grant made me promise not to ask where he was taking me, just to trust him, and that we wouldn’t be long. A part of me wonders if he’s taking me to meet his parents. I know they live in The Hills. I really was looking forward to meeting them at Thanksgiving more than I was the turkey, and that’s saying a lot since I happen to be a fan of the oversized bird.
A huge greenbelt comes up on the left, and for a moment, I think it’s a park I’ve never been to and then it hits me. The large silver sign overhead readsHollow Brook Cemeteryas it bridges a set of oversized gates, and we pull on through before he comes to a stop. Grant reaches over and kisses the back of my hand, tears already glittering in his eyes.
“You let me meet your sister, Ava—I would love for you to meet mine.”
I offer a reassuring squeeze to his hand. “I’m honored to.”
The heavy dark clouds overhead with their ominous threat press down on us, and I wonder if their menacing presence is an omen of some kind. Aubree and Grant may have reached a level of forgiveness, but how could Stephanie ever forgive my family? She’s not even here to entertain the idea.
Grant drives us up a winding road before pulling over along a hillside. He helps me out and walks us over to a giant heart-shaped piece of land where the gravestones dance in the evening light as the last of the sun shines down on them.
“Right here.” Grant drops to his knees, and I join him there. He touches his hand to a slab of black granite that has the wordsStephanie Nicole Jones, Loving daughter and sister. Gone too soonetched in stone.
She’s gone too soon because of Aubree, and this alone causes me to lose it. Tears come in violent jags as I bury my face in my hands. Grant takes me in his arms and rocks me, but for the briefest of moments, not even Grant can console me.
“It’s okay. I promise.” He presses a searing kiss to my temple. “I didn’t bring you here to hurt you. This is where I come to see her, to speak with her—to just be near her.”
Grant’s words sting so acutely, escalating my grief to heights I have never felt before. Grant cannot see her. He can’t speak with her. And he can never be near her, at least not the way he wishes. Aubree landed his sister in an entirely different plane of existence, and I can’t bear the pain.
“Let’s go, Ava.” He dots a kiss to my cheek. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“No.” I will myself to regain control, but the tears still manage to run, quick and silent. “I’m here. I want to do this. I want to be a part of your world, Grant. And for the last several years, this has been a very real part of your world.”
“It has, and thank you for staying.” He pulls me close as the two of us look to Stephanie’s gravestone with a marked sadness. “Steph, this is the girl I told you about. She’s beautiful, and she’s all mine.” He sighs hard, compressing his chest with emotional agony. “I know you’re happy with this. I want to thank you for that. And I also want to thank you for seating her at my table that day.” He offers a quick wink my way. “I’d like to think you had a very strong hand in steering the two of us together. I love you. And I love that the memory of your kindness allowed me to forgive everyone, including the girl who took your life.”
My body bucks with grief as he says those last words. Grant and I spend the next hour sitting by Stephanie’s grave as he shares stories of his beloved sister. I cry, laugh, and enjoy every last one of them.
Grant helps me up as we say our goodbyes and head for his truck.
“I hope you don’t think it was too morbid.” He winces. “I sort of seem to need this. I try to do it a few times a month at least.”
“Not morbid—beautiful. And would you mind if I tag along?” My heart gives a few loud thuds as if expecting a rejection.
“I would love it if you came with me.” Grant presses his lips to mine just as a sea of wet kisses falls from the sky.
“Is this?” I stare dumbfounded at the tiny white crystals lying frozen in the palm of my hand. “Snow!”
Grant and I hold our hands out and marvel, gathering it greedily as if it were manna from heaven.
“First snow of the season.” Grant blows the powder off his hand like he was making a wish. “This is from Steph.” His brows knit at the thought. “She wants you here, Ava. This is her way of saying she loves you.”
“She loves me?” I melt at the thought. “I love her—and I love you.” I cross my wrists behind his neck and pull him in.
