I’m left with a sense of closure in the quiet that follows. Life and love, in all their complexity, have brought me here, and in this moment, I find comfort in having the people I love around me and in the knowledge that love truly never dies.
The road stretches outbefore us under the fading light. Nash and Saylor are with me, and the car is filled with comfortable silence until my phone rings. Glancing at the caller ID, I see it’s Hunter, so I put him on speaker.
“Hey, I’m getting North on the call too,” Hunter says, and I can’t help but cringe a little, bracing myself for North’s reaction to my impromptu use of his car.
There’s a brief pause before North’s voice comes through. “Hey, you guys all right?”
“We are. Driving home. Should be there in thirty minutes. Sorry again for hijacking your car.”
I’m ready for a scolding, but instead, he huffs. “I’m just glad you didn’t try to drive that fast in the van.”
Relief washes over me, and I can’t help but smile. “Thanks, North.”
Nash and I quickly fill them in on all that happened—Tally’s baby, how adorable he is, and our plans to visit again soon, taking them and Lio to see Jesse. But Hunter shifts the conversation to a more pressing issue.
“Happy the baby’s here, but now we’ve got a problem,” Hunter announces, tone gruff. “We’re one man short for Nash’s boat. And there’s still the big delivery coming up for Halloween. We need all of the boats on the water.”
“Can’t you just put in one of the new ones you hired last week?” North’s voice comes through the speaker.
Nash mutters a curse. “It’s tough enough without Adam. He was a scumbag, but he knew the ropes. The new guy who’s replacing him is green. I can handle one greenhorn but not two.”
“Does anyone know another company we can ask for help?” Hunter wonders aloud.
That’s when North curses under his breath. “Hunter, can you take Lio to his doctor’s appointment tomorrow? It’s just a check-up.”
“Sure, but why?” Hunter asks, puzzled.
North’s voice is firm, resolute. “I’ll step in for Tim.”
Oh my God.
The car goes silent. Saylor is the first to break it. “Holy sh–”
Hunter unknowingly cuts him off, questioning, “Are you sure about this? You know I would never ask this of you. I couldn’t either.”
There’s a determination in North’s voice that brooks no argument. “I’m sure. It’s time to bring out the Maestro again. Have some fun with my little brother on the ocean.”
Nash lets out a whoop of excitement. “Hell, yes! The Maestro’s back!”
The energy in the car shifts, and Nash grows all giddy, but Saylor stays silent.
North stepping back into the world he left behind is big—not just for the delivery but for him. He’s stepping up and facing past demons. And from the sound of it, he’s more than ready to take on the challenge.
I’m so fucking proud of him.
As we continue our drive, the conversation shifts to preparations and logistics. However, Saylor remains unusually quiet, a silence that draws my attention. “You all right?” I ask softly, turning my head slightly to whisper to him.
“This is big, Sloan,” he whispers, his words causing my heart to both sink and swell at once. Noticing my reaction, he quicklyadds, attempting to reassure me, “I would have never thought we could get past what happened. I... I thought this was life now. All of us hurting on our own, living in the shadow of my dumb decisions. But we’re healing, moving forward, facing our fears.” I bite my lip, nodding slightly.He’s right.They are all so strong. “We got this, Slo. Living again? We all got this because of you.”
A lump forms in my throat, but I try to offer him a smile through the rearview mirror.
They got this.
We got this.
THIRTY-NINE
Excitement and dreadfill me as I gather my gear. We’re running late because I had to pull Nash out of Sloan’s bed, where he seemingly spent the night all cuddled up and shit.
