Page 131 of When the Smoke Clears

Twenty minutes later, I pull into Fitz and Jamie’s driveway. After two knocks on the door, Jamie answers. She has a little baby belly and a huge smile.

“Oh my gosh!” She throws herself into my arms. “William,” she says with a long sigh.

“Surprise,” I say, releasing her and sliding off my jacket while I step inside and remove my boots.

“You’re the best surprise. How have you been? Fitz just ran to the grocery store, but he’ll be back soon. Sit. We have so much catching up to do.”

She takes the cream-colored rocking chair that looks new, and I sit on the sofa.

“You look amazing. Dare I say glowing?”

Jamie blushes. “I’ve never been happier.” Her smile fades a bit. “I’d like to see my friend, William Landry, find this kind of happiness.”

“I’m afraid I can’t get pregnant, so I’ll have to settle for something less glowing.”

Jamie strokes her chin. “The beard is new.”

I nod. “It’s a little unkempt from spending so much time in the wilderness. I’ve never grown a beard before now. Firefighters can only have mustaches.”

“Well, it’s ruggedly handsome on you.”

“Aw, thanks, Jaymes. You’re the best.” My gaze drops to her hand rubbing her belly. I couldn’t be happier for my friends.

“How are you?” she asks, drawing my attention back to her face as she curls her dark hair behind one ear. Her head cants to the side. It’s more than a courteous question to spark idle conversation. I can tell from the little creases in her forehead that she’s concerned.

“I’m good. Genuinely.”

“Genuinely good sounds . . .”

“Good?”

She chuckles and nods. “Yeah. Maybe you found yourself, this new, hairier version of yourself”—she winks—“in the process of getting a little lost in the woods. I once overheard Everleigh telling a patient’s parents that what might look like a step backward, a slight regression, is actually necessary to move forward. She told the dad to stand tall and, without bending his knees, jump. Of course, he couldn’t. Her point being that he had to go down before he could go up.”

I hum and nod. “Speaking of Everleigh, have you heard from her?”

“Yeah, like two months ago. She was taking a trip. But I haven’t heard from her since. You?”

“She’s in Key West.”

Jamie’s eyes widen. “On vacation again?”

“She’s living there for the next year. Well, the next ten months.”

“She didn’t take the job at Hopkins?”

“Apparently not.”

“Huh. Is she working at a hospital or clinic? How did you find this out? Did you talk to her?”

“I was just at her place. Out of curiosity, I wanted to see how far she made it on her barndominium. But someone is living in her Airstream. A young woman from Key West who Everleigh swapped houses with for the next year.”

“Wow. That’s unexpected. I can’t imagine what job she would have taken that’s better than Hopkins.”

“Funny you should say that because the woman staying in her Airstream said Everleigh is working the counter at a café that sells key lime pies. Award-winning pies.”

Jamie wrinkles her nose. “What?”

Pressing my lips together, I nod slowly.