Heat crawls up my neck, and I manage a quiet, “Thanks.”
She tilts her head. “So, have you and Mase talked about… what happens when he moves back to Shelby Harbor next year? Like, living arrangements?”
The question catches me off guard. “No, it hasn’t come up. I mean, we haven’t been together that long.”
Aliyah shrugs. “So what? Neither have Cam and I, and she’s moving into my place next month.”
Cam smirks. “You know what they say—lesbians bring a U-Haul on the first date.”
Despite myself, I laugh, the sound easing some of the heaviness pressing on my chest.
Still, the question lingers as I steal a glance at Mason from across the lawn. Would he actually want to live with me? I just assumed he’d get his own off-campus apartment, that we’d keep our livesparallel but separate. The idea of sharing a space—sharing everything—hasn’t even crossed my mind until now.
For a moment, I let myself imagine it: Mason and I tangled in bed every night, cooking meals side by side, binging shows curled together on the couch. The thought makes me dizzy with how much I want it.
Movement shifts my focus when Stephen arrives, stepping through the drizzle wearing all black. He cleans up nicely, and when his beard is shaven like this, it’s easier to see the resemblance between him and his children. He walks straight toward Mason and pulls him into a hug. Mason hesitates for a moment before tentatively wrapping an arm around him, still adjusting to their unfamiliar closeness
The corners of my lips lift into a small, tentative smile. I’m glad to see them beginning to repair their relationship, slowly but surely, one careful step at a time. But as I watch them, a sharp ache twists in my stomach as my thoughts drift to my own estranged twin brother.
If Mason can manage to reconcile with his father, maybe I can do the same with Landon.
As the priest approaches the podium to begin his sermon, the guests file into their seats. Mason slides into the chair next to mine and holds my hand, folding it in his lap protectively. He gives me a soft, tired smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.
“Hey,” he murmurs.
“How are you feeling?” I ask cautiously.
His throat bobs as he swallows. “I’m okay,” he says simply. Then, after a beat: “How about you? Are you alright?”
“Yeah,” I say, nodding as my throat tightens. “I will be.”
***
I sit in the corner of a quiet coffee shop near Landon’s school in northern Indiana. My leg bounces restlessly beneath the table. Theplace smells like roasted coffee beans and blueberry muffins. I can’t remember the last time I felt this anxious.
When I texted Landon to ask if we could talk, I honestly expected to be left on read, or maybe even a flat-out “no.” Instead, he surprised me with a single word:sure. Now, waiting for him, I’m not sure if I’m relieved or terrified.
The bell above the door chimes, and there he is—wearing a crisp gray suit and blue tie. His hair is longer since the last time I saw him at our birthday party. He hesitates only a moment before walking toward me. We exchange a stiff hug, the kind where neither of us knows where to put our arms, and it ends too quickly.
“I ordered you a french vanilla latte,” I say, gesturing to the second cup on the table. My voice comes out steadier than I expected, almost rehearsed. “That’s your favorite, right? You used to drink those all the time during undergrad, when you were up late cramming for exams.”
Landon glances at the cup, then back at me. “Uh… thanks, but I actually cut out caffeine last year.”
Of course he did. A year without caffeine, and I had no idea. The painful truth is glaringly obvious: we’ve grown apart in ways I never wanted to admit.
“Oh,” I mutter. “Sorry—”
“It’s fine,” he says, waving a hand dismissively. “What did you want to talk about?”
I swallow hard. “I want to talk about… us. About what happened.”
His brows lift. “You’ll have to be more specific.”
“About what happened with Travis.”
Saying his name out loud used to hurt, like peeling open an old wound, but now it barely stings.
Landon’s face hardens. “I don’t know what more there is to discuss, Hunt. We’ve gone over this a dozen times. Travis broke up with you because he realized he wasn’t into guys. People experiment. You’re always saying sexuality is fluid, or whatever.”
