“Do you think ... can we not talk about it yet? I mean, I will. I’ll definitely talk about it. God, there’s so much to catch you up on. But can we maybe do it tomorrow? I just want to be like this, here with you”—and Dad—“for a little while longer.”
Cool fingers wrap around mine, our hands clasping tightly. Just like that, my world is calm. Peaceful. At least for a moment, it’s exactly how it’s meant to be. I know Mom will fix it. She makes everything better.
“Oh,” I whisper in the middle of a yawn, “and the paint. We’ll have to add that second coat tomorrow too, maybe after we do something fun for your birthday.”
When she finally speaks, her voice is so quiet I almost miss it. “Okay, beautiful. Tomorrow.”
Hunt
Idodge a few people slumped on the floor, stopping when I spot a familiar rugged face. I don’t know the guy’s name, but he stays at a lot of the same places as Henry.
“Hey, man,” I say quietly, so I don’t wake anyone, “you seen Henry?”
The guy shakes his head, pulls his ratty blanket over his head, and rolls over so his back is to me. Apparently not in the mood to chat. Biting back an irritated grumble, I start to walk away when I hear a slurred, “Ain’t seen him in days.”
I shut my eyes.Days?Where the hell is he?
“Thanks,” I mutter, making my way to the exit and leaving shithole number four behind.
I know I said a lot of shit the last time we spoke, but I figured Henry would cool off. I just wanted to make him look at his situation differently, not get pissed and run off somewhere.
I slam the door to my truck, exhaustion making me sink against the seat. It’s been a long-ass day, and I’m fucking desperate to see Blue. The only reason I stopped to look for Henry instead of racing straight home is because I’m already in his neighborhood. I wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight knowing I didn’t at least try to find him.
I check my phone, and disappointment plunges through me when I see no notifications from her. Of course there wouldn’t be. I left her a goddamn voicemail to apologize. Who does that?
After tossing the phone, my pulse spikes as I pull away from the curb. I have no clue what I’ll say when I see her—I just need to say something. If she’s even awake. For all I know, she’ll shut her door in my face before I get the chance to open my mouth. But I gotta try.
The street’s dead quiet when I finally park in front of the Everest house. I flip off my headlights and pocket my keys before slipping outside and crossing the front yard.Shit, my phone.Jogging back to the truck, I snatch it off the passenger seat, refreshing my texts as I walk.
A rustle of leaves whips my head up, and I stop in my tracks when I see someone approaching. Fast. For a split second, I’m so sure it’s Blue my chest hammers, but this person’s taller, and her hair’s too long. Looking down, hugging her stomach, she walks as fast as possible without running. She brushes right past me and doesn’t even notice.
What the hell?
Something slips from her hand, dropping to the grass, and the glint of silver catches my eye. She’s almost to the sidewalk when I pick it up, grimacing at the pull on my sore muscles.
“Ma’am?”
She stops, whirling around, and I catch up.
“You dropped this.”
Her eyes dart from my face to the pen, then back again, and,holy shit, I know exactly who she is.
“What happened to your eye?” she asks, ignoring the pen. Her voice is thicker than I remember from when we spoke on the phone, a little raspy around the edges.
I look away, scrubbing my palm over my face. Just my luck I’d have a black eye the same night I meet my girl’s mom.
“It’s nothing. Was a dumb mistake.”
I expect her to push the issue, but she only nods.
When she takes a step backward, my eyes narrow.
She sniffs, rubs her nose, then quietly says, “Hunt, right?” Another step back. “Take care of my heart, will you?”
“Ah ...”
She turns around before I can make sense of her words, and I’m left staring after her with my head spinning. What the hell just happened?
