But then I remember Cohen’s words from earlier—“I remember everything you do for me.”
Maybe that’s the truest kind of love. The kind that stays. It is the kind that sees you, even when you’re trying to hide. The kind that holds your hand during a movie and curls up beside you without asking why your heart feels heavy.
I have Cohen to think about. He’s not just my son. He’s my reason. My compass. My future.
Still, the question lingers in my heart like an echo:What if?
What if I let myself believe Cole could be part of our lives?
What if the life we once dreamed of isn’t gone, just waiting?
But for now…I’m not ready to find out.
For Cohen’s sake.
And for mine.
I take one more look at Cohen in bed before looking down at the bracelet his father gave me all those years ago. Then I turn off the light and head toward my room, pausing at Cohen’s door. I stand there for a moment, listening to the soft, steady rhythm of his breathing.
Cole is part of my past.
But Cohen…Cohen is my future.
Chapter Five
PIECES OF US
COLE-PRESENT
I stare at my phone,the screen glowing in the dim light of the living room. It’s been days since I sent the hibiscus and art set to Kenna. Days without a single word from her. The knot in my stomach tightens as I swipe the screen, refreshing my messages for the hundredth time.
Nothing. No missed call. No text.
I try to convince myself that I’m being stupid. She’s busy. She has a life of her own now. But the tightness in my chest won’t loosen. I can’t stop thinking about her, and the more I do, the more it feels like she’s slipping away.
I know I have no right to expect anything. Not after everything. But I still hoped. I guess that was my mistake. Letting hope in again.
I toss my phone down on the coffee table, rub my hands over my face, and then push myself up. I need to clear my head.
The guys texted me earlier today saying they were going to the bar. Maybe some time out will help.
But even as I reach for my keys, a small voice in my head whispers that I’m not going out to relax. I’m going out to forget, even if just for a little while.
I grab my jacket, shove my phone into my pocket, and head out the door. The night air hits me immediately. It smells like pine and pavement. I remember nights like this when Kenna and I used to drive through town with the windows down and the music too loud.
The bar smells like the sharp scent of stale beer, oddly comforting as it drifts into the back of my throat with memory. The low thrum of a guitar riff hums from the jukebox in the corner, and the lighting is just dim enough to blur the sharp edges of my thoughts.
Josh is already in a booth, lifting his beer as I walk in. Andy leans back lazily in the corner, his hat pulled low, but he looks up when he sees me. There’s another guy sitting with them—a stranger.
He’s got dark hair, and a neatly trimmed beard, a calm presence that somehow makes the noise around us seem quieter. He turns his head slightly, catching my eye.
Josh waves me over. “Cole! Look who rejoined the land of the living.”
I manage a grin, the tension in my chest easing a little. “Yeah, needed to get out of my head for a bit.”
Josh nudges the guy beside him. “This is Gabriel. Married to Millie—Kenna’s sister. I think this is the first time your paths have actually crossed.”
I blink, processing that. Millie. She used to be the kid tagging along behind us back in the day, all wide eyes and smart remarks. Now she’s married. Has a kid. Another on the way, if I heard right. Time really doesn’t wait for anyone.
