The town was the kind of medium-small Georgia place that felt like a step back in time. Brick buildings and family-owned shops lined wide main streets. The heart of downtown was small but bustling, with a town square featuring a gazebo where kids chased each other around while their parents chatted nearby. It was charming and picturesque, but what set it apart was the lone high-rise at the edge of the square—an unexpected, modernstructure that towered over the otherwise modest skyline. That’s where Jacob lived, of course, in the penthouse at the very top.
I pulled up to the building, grabbed my bags, and headed inside. The lobby was sleek and polished, and the doorman gave me a nod as I passed. My phone buzzed in my hand as I waited for the elevator.
Austin: I miss you. I’ve been thinking about you.
I stared at the message for a moment before slipping my phone back into my pocket, trying not to let it sink in too deep. The elevator doors opened, and I stepped inside. By the time I reached Jacob’s floor, I’d convinced myself to let it go—for the moment.
The door swung open before I could knock, Jacob’s voice carrying out into the hallway. He stood barefoot in the middle of the living room, phone pressed to his ear, a glass of something half-finished on the counter behind him. “Hey, sis,” he shouted, grinning as if nothing in the world had changed. “So glad you came to see me.”
I stepped inside, the sleek marble floors and familiar scent of his cologne washing over me. “Hey,” I whispered, because if I said anything else, I was going to collapse into tears.
“I just gotta finish this call for work,” he said, pacing toward the window that looked out over the skyline. “Make yourself at home. The guest room is ready for you . . . and your husband?”
He was fishing.
I shook my head. “Just me.”
Jacob nodded a couple of times before excusing himself to his office. I turned and made my way down the hall toward the guest room. I’d stayed here plenty of times before, usually after Mom had driven me crazy enough to escape the ranch.
The room was cozy enough, with a queen-sized bed in the corner, modern furniture, and a decent view of downtown. I set my suitcase down and sank onto the bed, completely drained.
I’d barely closed my eyes when my phone buzzed. I picked it up and saw Austin’s familiar name flashing on the screen. I stared at the screen, my thumb hovering over the answer button. I needed this break, this time to breathe and clear my head. What if something was wrong? That tiny seed of doubt rooted itself in my chest, growing with every second I hesitated.
I sighed, knowing I wouldn’t find peace until I knew. After swiping to answer, I lifted the phone to my ear. “Hello?”
There was an awkward pause, long enough that I wondered if he’d butt-dialed me.
“Hey,” he said softly.
“Are . . . are you okay?” I asked.
“Yeah . . . Are you?”
I looked outside before I closed my eyes. “Yeah. I just got to my brother’s apartment.”
“Good. I was calling to make sure you were okay.”
“Well . . . I am.”
I shouldn’t be this much of a dick to him, but I didn’t know what else to say, and he was clearly skirting around why he actually called. I was exhausted and not interested in playing this game.
“I talked to Dirks, then Ledger and my mom today. I think I realized where I fucked up.”
“Mhmm,” I murmured, pulling the small blanket from the end of the bed over me.
“I should’ve told you from the start about all of it. I was just scared.”
“I—”
“That isn’t an excuse, Char,” he cut in gently. “I just wanted you to know why.”
I let out a deep sigh. “Thank you for telling me.”
“And, Charlie?”
“Yeah?”
The raw desperation in his voice made my heart twist painfully, threatening to shatter into a million tiny pieces.
