Breeze sucked a breath through her teeth. “That’s wonderful,” she squeaked, recognising the combined tribute to both our birth mums.
My new business partner walked around the counter and wrapped an arm around me. I let my eyes mist as I looped mine back around hers and squeezed.
The bell on the door jingled.
“Thanks for finishing up for me today, Megan. Did anyone have any closing remarks?” a voice boomed from behind us.
Breeze flinched and quickly scattered over to the grinder to refill it.
I swivelled around on my stool to see the practically shouting man with one arm held up to his face, wireless headphones in his ears. His other hand gripped a toolbox, with several pieces of timber tucked beneath one arm.
Leaves trailed behind him, and as I gave him my best death stare, his eyes snapped to mine.
“In that case, I’ll take my leave for the day. I’ve just seen an angel, and she’s sending me a death glare,” Dax said into the phone.
I couldn’t help smiling as he wrapped up the call after a few more words.
“I promise I’ll sweep this in a minute, babe,” he said, leaning down to kiss me.
“You’d better,” I arched a brow. I might be part-owner of Steamy Sips now, but there was no way I was letting up on my cleaning duties. Stress-cleaning was a sacred art.
“That sounds like a threat.” Dax leaned his hip against the counter, squaring himself to me.
“It is,” I said, locking eyes with him.
“And the punishment?”
I tilted my head and looped a finger through the belt loop of his jeans, pulling him closer. “I can think of a few things.”
The skin beneath his ears flushed red as he lent one shaky hand on the counter and bent down to kiss me again. Slow. Firm.
“You guys know I’m still here, right?” Breeze’s flat tone cut between us.
“Sorry,” I said with a grin, pulling back from Dax. I totally wasn’t.
“What time do we need to leave for the unveiling?” she asked.
I grabbed Dax’s arm to read the time. “Thirty-minutes.”
“How’d everything go with the plaque place? I forgot to ask if you got to see the final thing on Friday?” Breeze asked. The memory of Thursday and Friday filled my throat with a painful lump, and I’d owe my sister for years to come. I made a noise in my throat trying to clear it, and Dax placed a hand on the small of my back. He’d sat through both days of June and my statements. Better he knew what he was getting himself into now.
It had been one of the hardest things I’d ever done. But nothing compared to the moment I’d discovered I was adopted. That pain had reshaped my entire concept of identity—and I was still learning how to live with it.
I didn’t know how I’d convinced June to go through with her statement. Maybe she was ready to close that chapter too. I hadn’t needed convincing. I’d done it for Olivia. I hoped mywords added weight to her statement, which was now in the safe hands of the Glades Bay police station.
“I did,” I said finally answering Breeze, and I pulled out the printed photo they’d given me as a proof copy.
I laid it flat, and Breeze rounded the counter so she could see it. A tall, rough stone had a bronze plaque attached to it and had been erected at the edge of the property at 6 Bellamy Lane that overlooked the water.
In loving memory of Olivia Pratt & Joshua Walls
“We see you”
Am I just a name, another identity?
Among a billion souls of single entity.
Of those who came and those to come,
