“I hated you for Kevin.For not telling me.For leaving before we could yell or cry or fix anything.But mostly…”
My voice broke.I let it.
“Mostly I hated that you made me afraid to love again.That every time something felt real, I flinched.I built walls.I convinced myself love was just data for future sabotage.I made myself unreachable.”
I touched the cold stone, the letters of her name carved with precision.
“I’m done being unreachable.”
A gust of wind cut through my coat.A crow called out somewhere above me.
“I’m choosing someone.I’m choosing her.And I’m letting you go.Not because you deserve my forgiveness—but because I do.”
I left the coffee beside the headstone.It was still steaming when I walked away.
Because I’m Lukas Ambrose Sterling.
Because I run a multi-billion dollar company.Because I shouldn’t be afraid of anything.
Except apparently I am, because here I stand, my hand practically shaking as I knock on goat yoga instructor Melody Damon’s door at midnight like some kind of barnyard burglar.
"Coming!"Her voice is muffled.Then louder: "Buttercup, get down from there!That's not for?—"
The door opens to reveal the goat yoga instructor in tie-dye pajamas, hair in chaos, with what appears to be yoga mat stuffing in her teeth.
"Luke Sterling?”She blinks."What are you—Buttercup, NO!"
A white blur rockets past her, directly into my knees.
I stumble backward and land flat on my back in the hallway with thirty pounds of excited goat on my chest.
"Maaah!"Buttercup declares, then starts eating my jacket zipper.
"Hi to you too," I wheeze.
"I'm so sorry!"Melody rushes to help, but Buttercup is already doing her victory dance on my sternum.
I hold the furry havoc-wreaking animal to my chest.“It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not fine.Nothing’s fine.”She motions."She's been impossible since I brought her back.Won't eat.Keeps escaping.Destroyed my meditation cushion..."
"About that," I manage, gently relocating Buttercup to the floor where she immediately attacks my shoelaces."I need to borrow her."
"Borrow her?"
"For Sage.It's important."
Melody's expression shifts from frazzled to calculating."This is about your breakup."
"We didn't—how do you know about that?"
"Small town yoga community.Everyone knows everything."She leans against the doorframe."Sage cried during warrior pose last week.So heartbreaking."
My heart knocks against my ribs.“She did?"
"Ugly cried.Snot and everything.Had to burn some extra sage to cleanse the energy."
My chest tightens."I need to fix this."
