I took a deep breath before slipping the paper out of its once-sealed envelope and unfolding it.
My dearest Brenna,the letter started. A choked laugh spilled from my mouth at the formal greeting. This from the man who used to scream from the dugout to get my ass in gear.
I read the letter again and again, hearing his voice speak the words in my mind. Waiting for the ache in my chest to subside. But it didn’t.
Imissedhim. The way he listened to me. His offbeat stories.
I wished Nathan hadn’t left. He was the only person in the world who could understand, who I wanted to share Gordon’s words with.
Nathan was who I always wanted too.
27
NATHAN
Now
My rideshare was pullingup to the sidewalk at the airport when I received a text telling me my flight had been canceled.
The winter storm hadn’t reached Palmer City, but it would in an hour or two. Unlike lightning storms when airlines kept passengers waiting, delaying the flight over and over again, the airport would shut down for winter storms. Just like the entire city. Even though we’d only get an inch or two of snow and ice.
I’d lived in North Carolina long enough to expect this, but I had to leave that house. So I left, hoping my flight could sneak out before everyone hunkered down.
“My flight just got canceled,” I said to my driver. “Can you take me back home?”
“Seriously, man?” the young guy groaned.
“I’ll give you fifty dollars on top of the trip cost.” I held up my wad of travel cash.
Snowflakes were falling by the time I got back. I assumed the dark house meant Brenna and the cats were congregated in her bedroom, which had no windows facing the front. But when I opened the door, there was no light anywhere.
Did she leave?
“Brenna?” I called.
No answer.
“Bren?” I repeated louder.
I took the steps two at a time, adrenaline thrumming beneath my skin.
She wasn’t in her bed.
Did she go to Derek’s the moment I left the house? Did I lose her again before I’d even won her back?
I hustled to my room to drop my bag, to ready myself to drive to his place—
My body sagged in relief to find Brenna snuggled beneath the covers of my bed, surrounded by our four cats. She fuckingbelongshere, and I couldn’t keep pretending I didn’t think so. I wanted to wake up beside her, to touch her soft skin, to breathe in her sweetness, to listen to every word she had to say.
I’dalwayswanted that, and the feeling would never change.
The cats’ heads perked up, and they tracked my movements. As quietly as possible, I shuffled into the room, deposited my bag beside the bed, and sank onto the chair in the corner.
Waiting for her to wake.
Brenna yawned a couple of hours later, stretching her arms over her head. Her gaze immediately landed on me, presumably drawn by the light of my phone. I’d polished off a movie and started a second, my body surprisingly calm despite the anticipation of talking to her when she opened her eyes.
“You came home.”
