Fuck, how wrong I was. Sarah was always there for us. My best friend. Losing her, too, killed me. But she understood. She pushed me to go. I know she tried her hardest to keep an eye on Halle and Mom, but life happens, and it took her away from them, and now she’s worried Halle won’t forgive her.
“Of course, she will,” I say, bumping her shoulder with mine and smiling. “She’ll love Remi, too. How could she not?”
Picking up the plate Remi left on the table, I carry it over to the kitchen sink and wash it. He’s got his head down, completely absorbed in the coloring book we got him for the drive here. His tongue pokes out in concentration, his hand flying across the page, lost in his world of imagination. A soft warmth spreads through my chest, and my mouth twitches with a ghost of a smile. He reminds me of Halle and the way she would spend hours disappearing into her sketchbooks.
“Let’s clean you up. We’re gonna go explore.” Sarah’s voice pulls me out of my nostalgia.
She moves around the table, packing up Remi’s things, stacking them neatly, and helps him put his shoes on. I can’t wait for everyone to meet the little guy. He’s going to haveHalle, Madi, and Tessa wrapped around his tiny finger. I just hope the girls welcome Sarah, too.
The thought of Madison sends my heart into overdrive. My phone feels heavy in my pocket. All her missed calls and unanswered texts are a weight I’ve been carrying, one I should’ve faced by now. I should have had the courage to answer her. Told her I was okay and just needed space. Instead, I went radio silent on everyone, except Asher. Because he knew. His demons recognized mine, and he saw what I needed.
I slip my phone out and pull up the contacts. My thumb hovers over her name—Madi, still saved with the little pink heart she added herself.
The ache in my chest twists. That stupid heart feels broken now.
It’s been a month since her last call. Her silence screams at me, and I think of calling her first. But the thought makes my stomach turn. Because deep down, I know why she hasn’t tried again.
She’s done.
How could I blame her? How long can someone stand still, waiting for a man?
I have no idea how she’ll react when she sees me again. Will there be anger in those beautiful eyes, or nothing at all? The little hope I have of her running into my arms is slim, but it’s something I’ll keep hanging onto because a life without Madison seems bleak. I couldn’t give her my all before, but now I’m ready, and I’ll fight for her if I have to. Every damn day, I’ll fight to be the man she deserves. I just hope she still wants me, still needs me like I need her.
“Ready?” Sarah calls from the front door, Remi bouncing at her side.
“Yeah,” I say, stuffing my phone back into my pocket. “Let’s do this.”
I crouch down to meet Remi’s eyes and smirk. “Hey, want a piggyback ride?”
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” he shouts, already launching toward me.
“We’re not driving?”
I turn around and motion for Remi to climb on. His arms wrap tight around my neck, and I hook my hands under his legs, making sure he’s secure on my back before straightening.
“No,” I say with a small shake of my head, a smile tugging at my lips as I pull the door open for her.
It creaks on its hinges, the familiar sound echoing into the quiet morning. Remi giggles, his breath warm on my skin, and his tiny hand grabs at my neck, pinching me as we walk outside.
“I know I already asked you this when we first got here,” Sarah says, stepping down the porch steps, “but why is your door red?”
“Red door! Red door!” Remi chants into my ear.
I wince, adjusting him on my back. “Easy, buddy, you’ll hurt my ears.”
“Rem-Rem, no screaming in Hunter’s ear, or you’ll have to walk,” Sarah chimes in, giving him a look.
Remi goes quiet, but I can feel his grin pressed into my shoulder, his cheekiness in the way he kicks his legs in excitement.
I glance back at the red door, my eyes drifting over the swing chair swaying slightly in the breeze. The porch feels… still. Too empty. No beach towels drying over the railing, no worn sneakers scattered around the place. A sadness creeps into me. I shift Remi on my back and scan the place again. It’s too clean. It used to be different—loud, messy, chaotic. Long days swimming down at Falls Creek, everyone smiling and bickering over the music. Barbecues that stretched into the early night until it was time to head to the bar. Maybe it’s the season. Winter dulls everything, and the rainy season hits, slowing us all down. But the days are warm again, and summer is around the corner. The busy season will soon be here, and God, I hope that means things go back to normal.
Remi squirms on my back, arms tightening and loosening like he can’t decide if he wants to hang on tight or bounce around as I lead the way down the path toward town.
I can’t help the low laugh that escapes me as I glance at Sarah. Her eyes meet mine, bright with curiosity, wanting to know the whole story. My cheeks burn as I fight the urge to disappear when the memory flashes through my mind. But I cave.
“I kept ending up in Everlyn’s bed.”
Her brows shoot up. “What?”
