“So why does Hendrix think you need an intervention?” I ask, literally reaching for any conversation topic I can grab.
“Oh.” She laughs nervously. “I don’t think it’s just him. I’m pretty sure my whole family thinks I need an intervention when it comes to my boyfriend.”
Boyfriend.
I don’t know why the word makes me stop dead in my tracks. It’s been twelve years. Of course, she has a boyfriend.
Why wouldn’t she?
She’s had a whole life since I left.
I swallow the lump in my throat. “They don’t like him?”
“It’s a long story.”
“Well, I’ve got time.”
I settle onto the couch, listen, and get to know Presley Creed all over again.
Chapter Six
PRESLEY
Hollis Beck.
I stare at his name in the chat history on my phone.
It’s been a few days since he sent me those mystery messages and crashed back into my life.
We’ve been playing catch-up ever since.
Since that first phone call, it’s been mostly texts. I left him a voice memo one night when I was too busy to type, and got a text back that said, “Nice to hear your voice. Especially when you’re not yelling at me.”
Jerk.
I want to be mad at him for all the times he could have called.
I want to hate him for leaving us…leaving me and never coming back.
Over the years, I would always look for him in crowds, at bars, and even searched for him on social media, but I never found him.
I eventually lost hope of ever finding him again.
To find out he had the ability to contact me this entire time? It hurts. But holding a grudge and staying angry at him wouldhurt a lot more. Because more than anything, I’ve missed him, and I like having him back in my life.
As selfish as it sounds, I kind of like having him to myself, too. I’m not ready to share him with the rest of the family—or anyone else, for that matter.
Since we started talking, I haven’t told a single soul about Hollis Beck. Not my parents or my siblings.
Not even my boyfriend.
Sitting in the small office in the back of Creeds, I look at the latest text from him and can’t help but smile.
Hollis
Do you still skip breakfast? You know that’s an unhealthy habit for someone as advanced in years as yourself.
Me
