knew the situation Journey described wasn’t uncommon. Storm’s relationship with his parents had been similarly ruined.
“I know you don’t. Cork knows you don’t.” Journey dipped his bearded chin, his eyes going soft. “He loves you. He knows you love him, and he understands as well as a seventeen-year-old boy can that the decisions you make are for his benefit. You’re great with him. I had two parents and never had that kind of caring.”
“I’m sorry your parents were too closed-minded to see how talented and wonderful you are.”
“I appreciate that. I’m okay now. It’s in the past, behind me,” he said, yet the previous warmth in his eyes had cooled.
“Yeah, all right, sure.” I didn’t press, though I wanted to. I knew that sharing helped, but that wasn’t what we were. Journey and I were barely anything, but it didn’t feel like barely anything when I was with him, not from the very beginning.
My thoughts wandering, I turned my gaze back to the ocean, trying to reframe them.
“What do you see when you stare out into the night?” he asked, laying his large hand over mine.
My skin burned from the connection as if an electrical current sizzled and surged up my arm.
“I see the earth, water, and sky,” I said, deep truths spilling free as he caressed my skin with his thumb. “I see harmony. Infinity. An unchangeable cycle that’s always reliably there.”
“Maybe the unchangeable part is something you want but don’t have,” he whispered gently, and I went completely still, considering that.
“You’re right.” Sudden tears filled my eyes. “I wish some things would have stayed the same. I wish my mother had never left my father. I wish he was still here. I wish Cork’s accident had never happened.”
And I wish Storm had never left me alone.
“Your best friend growing up, the one you said loved music. Do you also wish he’d stayed?”
“Yes.” I nodded. “Storm was Saber’s brother. He knew me well and paid attention to me. He was a wise, reliable, caring friend. He knew how to guide me.”
“You never heard from him again after he left?” Journey asked. “Never tried to find him yourself?”
“No.” I shook my head. “I spend most of my energy trying to forget the past and move on. It was a long time ago. I was young. I’m sure I’m just remembering our friendship overly fondly.” My throat tightened. Even now, I couldn’t convince myself that was true.
“Maybe you’re remembering your friendship exactly right. Maybe he felt like you understood him too,” Journey said, adding some additional things I’d left off. “Maybe he missed you too much to contact you. Maybe he thought you were better off with him out of your life.”
I let out a long, wistful breath. “He said something just like that when he left. I should let it go. I’ve changed, and I’m sure he has too. I probably wouldn’t even recognize him. We probably wouldn’t have anything in common anymore.” Shrugging, I said, “We were just kids then, but we’re all grown up now. It doesn’t matter.”
“I think it does matter,” Journey said firmly. “Or we wouldn’t be talking about it right now.”
I gave him a sharp glance. He was right, of course. But I also knew the past was as unchangeable as the sea.
“Hey, guys.”
At the sound of my brother’s voice, I slid my hand out from under Journey’s and turned around.
“Hey,” I said, my cheeks burning as Cork’s gaze lifted.
He’d seen us holding hands. Well, not holding hands, really, but why was I so embarrassed? Journey and I weren’t doing anything wrong. But the discussion we’d had felt as intimate as sex.
“What’s up?” I asked Cork a little too brightly.
“Um . . . a lot, I think,” he said, glancing back and forth between me and Journey. “For starters, you just broke up with Saber. Plus, I joined OB Hardy today. Big changes in our lives. I thought you might want to talk about them with me.”
“I do. You’re right.” My little brother was wise beyond his years.
“I’ll leave you two alone,” Journey said, squeezing my shoulder. He lifted his chin to Cork as he moved away.
My eyes followed him as he stepped back inside and disappeared into the bar. When I returned my gaze to my brother, I found him grinning at me.
“I want to talk about Journey too,” he said. “But later.” His grin flattened. “Right now, your boss is looking for you.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah, he’s pretty worked up. Ash is trying to settle him