Page 15

Sophie

Saturdaymorning,Brooksand David come over to help Dad and I get everything moved over to Drew’s house—er, my apartment. Dad seems to be taking things much better now, but Mom is still stewing over us moving out. I think she’s grateful to have the morning alone with Samantha. Right now they’re snuggled up on the couch reading books.

Thankfully, Brooks has a pickup to haul the larger items. I got rid of a lot when I moved back here with my parents, but I kept some of the furniture Sam and I had picked out when we were married. Like the little armoire we found at an antique shop, his beloved guitar, and the large jewelry box he gave me as a wedding gift.

Between Brooks’ pickup and my little Subaru Outback, we can get it all in one trip. When we arrive at Drew’s, he meets us in the driveway to help carry everything.

His muscles strain against his t-shirt with every box he lifts. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to will the thoughts of his arms out of my mind.

Why am I even noticing his arms? My brothers and even my dad have muscles. What’s different about Drew’s? Besides the fact that his muscles are bigger, and his skin is more bronzed. Oh, and he's not related to me.

Once everything is moved in and the furniture is placed where I want it, my brothers look around. Dad doesn’t seem interested in looking at the place, which I find a little odd.

“This is a great space! Well done, Drew, didn’t realize you were so handy,” Brooks says as he leans against the corner of the hallway.

David stands next to Brooks and crosses his arms. “Don’t think I won’t be checking that deadbolt every time I come over here.”

David gives Drew a pointed look, like he’s trying to use his body language to communicate that if he doesn’t keep a professional distance from me, he’s a dead man.

“David!” I gasp, shocked that he would think Drew and I might partake in some kind of inappropriate activities.

Drew just chuckles. “It’s alright. It’s a brother's job to look out for his sister. I understand that.”

“Good,” David says seriously.

Ugh, David is always so stone-faced. He really needs to loosen up. Maybe not as much as Brooks, but a little.

I clap my hands together. “Alrighty, well, thank you all very much for your help. I think I’ve got it from here.”

“You’re kicking us out already? I see how it is.” Brooks grins.

“I’m just ready to get the place set up, and I want to make it homey before Mom and Dad bring Samantha over tomorrow morning.” I smile at Dad, grateful they agreed to keep her for the night. Not that it took much coercing.

Dad shoos Brooks and David towards the door. “Okay, let’s leave her be.”

David stands his ground. “I’m not leaving you two here alone.”

Drew pushes himself off of the kitchen counter he was resting against, and walks out the door. The rest of them quickly follow. I roll my eyes at how ridiculous David is being.

“Thanks again, guys!” I wave and close the door and lock it before any of them change their minds. It’s been way too long since I had any alone time, and I’ve really been looking forward to it.

I turn around and rest my back against the front door, breathing in a sigh of relief. It’s so quiet. So peaceful. So private.

Just what me and Samantha need.

It doesn’t take long for me to turn on my favorite album from The Head and the Heart, and get busy unpacking and decorating.

My jewelry box fits perfectly in my room next to the nightstand, and the armoire looks lovely in the living area. Sam’s guitar is on display next to the armoire. It was his most precious belonging, and although I can’t play the guitar, I just cannot bring myself to get rid of it. I can practically hear the sound of his fingers strumming the guitar just by looking at it. I used to love it when he played and our house was filled with the melodies he created.

Most of our household items were sold or packed away in boxes years ago. My heart lurches as I pull out each framed photo of me and Sam. I study each once as I unpack them. One of them is us at the Outer Banks, our arms wrapped around each other, bright smiles etching our faces. We were truly happy. My hands shake and I draw in an unsteady breath as I unpack another photo. This one was taken during our last hike together. We’re in the Blue Ridge Mountains, standing side by side, sweat making our faces glisten in the sunlight. This was the last photo we took together. Once again, my heart wrenches inside of my chest and my eyes prickle with tears.

Finding new trails to hike was one of our favorite things to do together. Hiking can be a painstaking task, but once you get to the final destination and see the breathtaking scenery around you, all the work is worth it.

Which makes hiking a lot like marriage. All the work and communication is completely worth it when you get to fall into bed each night next to your favorite human.

But that’s what makes losing that person even more difficult.

I set the photo of us on top of the armoire with some other framed pictures of me and Samantha and my family. I hold another one of Sam and me hiking and study it for a few minutes, tears filling my eyes once more, but I choke them back. My heart wants to display every photo I have of my husband, but this new endeavor is about moving forward, not dwelling in the past. So I choose my favorite photos and pack the others away.

Hours later, my stomach rumbles and I glance at the time on my phone. Wow, I’ve been unpacking these boxes and marinating in memories of Sam for five hours. Now it’s half-past six and I’m famished. I haven’t even made it to the store for groceries yet. I guess I should’ve stocked the fridge before unpacking. This goes to show it’s been a while since I had my own house.

Just as I’m about to search for my purse to go grab some fast food, a knock comes from the front door. I walk across the room to answer it, a little too excited to have my first houseguest.

Drew is on the other side of the door. His hair is wet and tousled like he just got out of the shower and barely ran a towel through it. He smells like a mixture of Old Spice shower gel and handsome surgeon. I didn’t realize that it was even a smell until just now.

After standing there silently smelling him for way too long, I notice he’s holding a plate of food. I feel my cheeks heat at how awkward I’m being. I barely even noticed the man for the past three years, and now my nose suddenly thinks he’s the best smelling man in the universe. Ugh.

He smirks at my expression. “Hey, you’ve been down here for a while, I thought you might be hungry.”

My stomach growls loudly. “Wow, sorry about that. Apparently I am just a little hungry.” I let out a tense laugh, and he hands me the food.

“Well, I better get back to the main house before David’s spidey-senses go off and he finds out I’m down here.” He points his thumb over his shoulder, his eyes twinkling mischievously. “Enjoy my very mediocre grilling skills.” He grins before turning to walk away.

“Thank you!” I yell after him, and he turns back quickly to give me a brief salute.

Closing the door, I make my way toward the kitchen for a fork and dig into the grilled chicken, mashed potatoes and caprese salad. I’m impressed by how delicious it is, Drew majorly undersold his cooking skills. Then again, he hasn’t had the displeasure of tasting my cooking.