“You owe me now!” I shout, laughing breathlessly as I try to get him.
But then his laughter dies. His smile falls flat. He stares past me, suddenly serious with protectiveness. My heart thuds, heavy and offbeat as my feet turn on the spot, and the room shrinks as my gaze lands on Hunter.
His eyes sweep the bar, finding me over here with Connor, and when our eyes lock, my pulse crashes like waves in my head, drowning out everything else. His hair is a little longer, jaw a little sharper, but it’s him. Utterly handsome and still carrying a storm behind his eyes. One that I swore I’d never get caught up in again.
I spin on my heel and make a beeline for the back door; the only thought running through my head isnot now, not here.
“Mads!” His voice cracks as he yells out to me.
But I don’t stop.
Behind me, I hear Connor’s voice, low and tense. “Nah, dude, not today.”
A single tear slips down my cheek as I push the door open, and a cracked “please” chases after me, latching onto the tiny shred of hope I didn’t realize my heart was holding on to.
3
CALL YOUR GIRLS
MADISON
“Mom,” I call softly, stepping into her house.
“In here, sweetie.”
I drop my keys into the bowl on the table by the door, wincing at my reflection in the mirror above. My puffy eyes are a dead giveaway of the tears I’ve been trying to hold back. She’s going to take one look at me and have a million questions; that worried crease between her brows will form, and her hands will land on her hips. But that’s why I’m here, because when everything falls apart, when I’m down and barely holding myself together, she’s the first person I want to be near. My rock. My sounding board. My calm in a life that doesn’t always make sense to me.
Pulling my hair out of its tie, I let it fall loosely down my back. Running my fingers through it, I try to make myself look more put together before heading toward her bedroom.
“Hey,” I say softly, flopping onto her bed and propping my chin in my hands as I watch her.
She stands in front of her floor-length mirror, head tilted as she pops in the studded earrings I got her for work last year. She catches my gaze, smiling at me softly, the crinklesaround her eyes lifting. I smile back without thinking. A peacefulness washes over me.
“Pink today?” I ask, noting her scrubs.
“We have a patient who’s been in all week,” she says, her smile fading. “She’s only a young girl and loves the color pink.” She turns to face me. “I thought my pink scrubs might cheer her up tonight.”
“Well, she’s lucky to have the best nurse in Sunlit Cove looking after her,” I say with a soft smile.
Mom’s resilience and her ability to handle pressure in the most calming of ways are what made her the most loved nurse in Sunlit Cove. Her care for her patients, no matter the situation, is unmatched. Everyone in town knows her. Everyone trusts her. They seek her out for advice, for comfort, for the kind of care that goes beyond the hospital. And she gives it freely. Because that’s just who she is. But to me, she’s simply Mom. The one who raised me, loved me, and did everything in her power to give me a happy life. Even when hers wasn’t easy.
It’s been just the two of us for as long as I can remember. My dad didn’t stick around after he took one look at the positive pregnancy test. He vanished, and I’ll never know why. When Nan passed away, everything came crashing down. Mom’s sister and brother slowly disappeared over the years, fading out of our lives. Nan was the glue to our small family; without her, nothing made sense anymore. So when I moved out of this small two-bedroom house, it was harder than I let on. I didn’t want to leave Mom alone, but I needed to start my own life. To step out into the world and figure out who I was as an adult and all that. But some days, when I visit, when I walk through these quiet rooms and feel the stillness, a sadness creeps in, curling around my heart. She deserves the world. I wish she’d find someone who wouldlove her more than anything in this world. Who would take the space in here and fill it with love, with loud, uncontrollable laughter.
“Now, my sweet girl.” Her hand gently cups my cheek. “I know these puffy eyes aren’t looking at me and feeling sorry for me. Want to tell me why you’re here unexpectedly?”
I sigh, sitting up and crossing my legs as I glance at her sheepishly.
“What if I am sad for you?” I mumble. “You know I hate that you’re here all alone.”
A soft snort leaves her as she grabs her watch from the nightstand. “Stop deflecting. You have five minutes before I have to be on my way, so spill it.”
“Hunter’s back,” I blurt, falling backward onto the bed, covering my face with a pillow.
I feel the bed dip beside me, the quiet shift of her weight, and the steady warmth of her calm settling next to me. The pillow slowly lifts away. Tears sting my eyes as the silent rejection hits all over again, and the bitter sadness of it all engulfs me. Without a word, Mom stands, taking my hands and pulling me to my feet with her. The little crease between her brows forms, and her hands move to her hips. The corner of my mouth twitches as I fight back a smile, knowing that’s exactly the reaction I’d get.
“Have you seen him?” she asks gently.
“Twice.”
