“Hunter, is that you?”
My shoulders tense, but I don’t look, I don’t falter. Dropping my money, I grab the water and bolt before anyone can chase after me. I don’t want to be recognized here. Don’t want the questions, the whispers, or the weight of being back. I’m here to find her, find my peace, and go back home. I don’t stop running until I’m back at the dingy motel room Asher let me take over when he left. The door clicks shut behind me as I lean against it, my chest heaving.
That was too close.
I cross the street, jaw tight, my steps a little heavier now. Small towns are beautiful, but the people who live here can be nosy as hell. I wouldn’t be surprised if my name’s been on their lips since the moment I stepped back into town.
Studio Joy.I smile at the handcrafted sign hanging above Halle’s art store, and pride fills me at all she’s achieved. My sister—against all odds—found her happy place. All my worries disappear the moment I step through the doors, and my eyes land on her. The tension, the weight of old mistakes, fades away.
Halle sits at a long wooden table in the center of the studio with Remi perched on her lap, a crayon in hand, scribbling intently into a sketchbook. Sarah sits beside them, her hand resting on top of Halle’s. They both glance up when they hear me. The emotion swimming behind Sarah’s eyes and her slight nod say everything I need to know. This reunion has meant everything to her. Remi looks completely at ease sitting with Halle, not even taking a second to glance my way. Her hand traces up and down his back like she’s known him forever. I smirk at the two ofthem. Yeah, he won her over in an instant, just like he did with me.
“Hunter!” Halle breathes with relief.
My smile stretches wide. “Lil sis,” I say back.
Sarah reaches over, gently lifting Remi onto her knee to free Halle. The second she’s able, Halle jumps from her seat and launches herself at me. My arms wrap around her as I catch her. She hugs me tightly before dropping back to her feet. For a heartbeat, we’re kids again, and everything feels right. Then her vibe shifts, stealing the air from the room. Her eyes narrow, and she hits the back of my head.
“Ow, fuck! What the hell was that for?” I wince, rubbing the spot.
“No swearing in front of Rem-Rem,” Halle scolds me, turning on her heel and sitting back down in her chair. “And that’s for hurting my best friend.”
Ah. I wince again. “Okay, fair.”
Sarah leans in, whispering something in Halle’s ear. I’m too far away to hear the words, but judging by the sharp glare Halle sends my way, it’s nothing good. Yeah, that’s my cue to take a little walk around. I wander the store, my mind drifting back to everything I told Sarah about Madi. When I wasn’t trying to work through my shit and find my closure, I was moping, missingmy girl. Naturally, Sarah saw right through it. Watching me pace the motel, constantly picking up my phone, staring at her texts, hovering over her number, only to sigh and throw the damn thing across the bed. Eventually, she’d had enough. She made me spill everything. Who I was pining for, why I wasn’t answering the calls. She told me I was a fucking idiot. Said to do better, and my dumb ass didn’t listen.
The faint smell of paint and wooden easels fills the room as I walk further into the store. Soft purple shelves hang onwalls filled with art supplies. My fingers trail along the long, sleek black counter at the back. This place screamsHalle. Soft and delicate with a touch of toughness and strength.
Quiet footsteps approach from behind me. “Do you like it?” Halle asks.
“Nah.” I turn, smirking as the crease forms between her brows. “I fucking love it. This is better than anything I could have imagined. It’s incredible.”
She rolls her eyes, but I catch the small smile she tries to fight back.
“Well, I have you to thank. None of this would have come to life without you.”
“Nah,” I say, shaking my head. “You did this on your own. You fought for this.”
Halle glances around the space with a softness in her eyes. With a quiet sigh, she steps forward, hugging me once more. Her hug speaks volumes. It’s all the thanks I need from her.
“You’re still in trouble, though.” She pulls back, planting her hands on her hips as she glares at me.
For a moment, all I can do is stand there and stare at her. God, that look, that stance. She looks so much like our mom right now. My chest aches.
“You look and sound like Mom right now.” The words slip out of my mouth before I can stop them.
Halle gasps. I hold my breath because fuck, did I overstep? Is it too soon to be bringing her up so casually, like it’s something we do? It’s been six years, but the grief is still so raw, so fresh. This is the first time we’ve been together for it. The first time we’ve faced it together.
“Halle,” Sarah calls out, interrupting us. “Your phone won’t stop going off.”
She shakes her head slightly, fighting back a small smile.The silence that settles between us isn’t uncomfortable, but it’s weighted. Full of everything unspoken. The guilt, the distance. Her eyes flicker with questions I know are coming. I feel the dull ache of the letters I have hidden away in my closet. The ones I need to find the courage to give her.
We walk back to the table together, side by side. Sarah looks up and hands Halle her phone as I kneel beside Remi, checking out his artwork.
He beams at me. “Look, Hunt,” he says, his small finger smudged with blue crayon as he proudly points at his scribbles.
Grinning—because the lil dude’s smile is contagious—I pick up a crayon and draw a smiley face in the corner of his page. I watch his expression morph from curiosity to full-blown excitement as I draw with him.
“That’s you,” I say, tapping the smiley face. “Coolest kid in town.”
