Page 91 of The Summer of Us

“Your mother would have chosen these things, Linc. Not your father. You should have them. They were part of her.”

They were all now safe, along with some other items Sunny unearthed. I was grateful she had a better eye than mine to spot them.

Knowing how my father would have raged seeing people traipse through his house, taking his things—for free—as if they were worthless, gave me a great deal of satisfaction. I didn’t try to deny that it pleased me. And the bottom line was many of the items would benefit the community. The dining room table would have a family sit around it and make memories. Children would jump on the beds and run on the carpets. Each family or individual was given a number and a limit, and it appeared to be going well. I bit back my grin. With Abby and Ned in charge, I had no doubt it would remain so.

“Hey.” Sunny’s head appeared beside me.

“Hi.”

She looked worried. “You okay?” She indicated the hill. “Is that upsetting you?”

I patted my legs. “Get up here.”

I helped her settle, then wrapped my arms around her. “No, it’s very cleansing. I know all those things will be used. Maybe loved. It actually gives me some peace.”

She leaned into me, her shoulders relaxing. “Good.” She played with my fingers. “What about next week?”

“Sunny, that is going to be a banner day for me.”

She peeked up at me. “Are you sure you really want to…blow it up?”

I chuckled. “I wish I could blow it up. Watch it explode and scatter for miles. But sadly, that is illegal and dangerous. When they hit the switch, it will implode—almost sink into itself. I watched a lot of the videos—it’s fascinating. A building is there one moment, and when the dust clears, it’s a flattened pile of debris they’ll truck away.” I pressed a kiss to her head. “And I get to push the button.”

Her voice was low. “And then what?”

“Hey.”

I waited until she turned her head and met my eyes. “Then it’s done, Sunny. My past will be exactly where it needs to be—in the past. My father will no longer have any part of my thoughts.” I slid a hand under her chin, angling her face up to mine. “I have a whole new life to live—with you. I plan on living the hell out of it. You with me?”

Her answer was to pull my head down and kiss me. A kiss of love, promises, and the future. A kiss of yes.

That was all I needed.

* * *

I walked through the house with the foreman. The house had been gutted down to the studs. He explained in great depth about the wires and charges attached to all the exposed beams. How the charge would be relayed and the structure would crumble. I stood in the vast space, knowing it was the last time I would be inside this building. The last time anyone would be. It would be locked down tonight and be gone tomorrow. Ned was beside me, frowning. “How do you know no one sneaks in before you, ah, hit the switch?”

Ed, the foreman, chuckled. “We do a final sweep today, and we have heat signals we check before the last call. The house is guarded all night.”

“Makes sense.”

I tried not to laugh. Ned still felt this was over the top, but I didn’t care. I clapped him on the shoulder. “Thinking of stashing a troublesome client in before the big bang, Ned?”

He eyed me with a frown. “I think your absence would not go unnoticed.”

That made me chuckle. Ed did too before turning serious. “We take every precaution. The perimeter, the building, who is allowed on site. Our measurements for the explosives are precise. Our safety record is perfect.”

“Good to know,” Ned mumbled.

“You should be here for the show.” I winked.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Ed turned to answer his radio, and I faced Ned. “Really? I didn’t think you supported this.”

“When you first told me, no. But I’ve changed my mind.”

“May I ask why?”