Stars Over Alaska (Wild River #4) - Jennifer Snow Page 0,106

ticket in her hand. “What do I say to him?”

“Tell him you love him and that’s enough. After all,” Selena said with a wink, “this isn’t some cheesy rom-com.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

STARING AT HER family home the next day, Leslie couldn’t help but wonder if maybe not all families could resolve their issues, overcome their differences. So many years had passed and a lot of life had happened. They’d never been able to bring up the past without arguing. Maybe they were too late?

The only way she’d know was if she went inside.

“You don’t have to go in,” Eddie said, putting his van in Park and turning to face her.

Didn’t she? Since this whole mess had happened, the weight of her past mistakes and unresolved issues weighed heavier on her now that she was acknowledging them. She’d never find peace if she kept running. Selena had been right to call her out on her usual way of handling uncomfortable situations.

“She’s probably seen the van by now,” Leslie said.

“I can run in and make up some excuse for stopping by,” Eddie said. “She doesn’t know you’re back in town yet.”

She’d crashed at his place the night before but could she be back permanently in Wild River and not have this heart-to-heart? Family gatherings had always been stressful. Everyone always suffered because of the tension between them. It had to stop. If there was some way to come to a truce, it would benefit everyone she cared about.

“Thanks, but I think I need to do this.” Even if they could never see eye to eye or have a close mother-daughter relationship, Leslie needed to offer the olive branch. Her mother had hurt her, but she’d hurt her as well and forgiveness couldn’t start, healing couldn’t start, until someone said they were sorry.

And if she was moving back to Wild River, she didn’t want the strained relationship or the what-ifs plaguing her new future...whatever that may look like.

She unbuckled her seat belt and gave Eddie a quick hug. “Thanks for the ride.”

“No problem...want me to wait?”

A getaway driver would only make it easier for her to escape if things went sideways. No more running. She was facing conflict head-on. One step at a time. “No. I’ll be okay.” If things didn’t go well, she could jog back into town to let off steam.

“Okay. Don’t forget Kaia’s school play is tonight at seven at the junior high school.”

“I’ll be there,” she said, climbing out of the van. She shut the door and took several deep, calming breaths as she walked up the stairs to the front door.

Knock? Or just go in?

She still had her old house key on her key ring. So many times she’d thought she should get rid of it, but could never bring herself to.

She knocked.

Her mother’s look of surprise quickly evaporated, replaced by one of tremendous relief as she stepped out onto the porch and wrapped Leslie in a hug.

The lump in her throat was so thick she could barely breathe. This had to be the first real hug she’d gotten from her mother...in years. She couldn’t even remember the last one. Even at Christmas, they’d do an awkward one-arm, shoulder squeeze thing. Never a full hug. Realizing her arms still hung at her sides, she lifted them slowly and hugged her mom back.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Eddie watching from the van and waved him on. Their rare display of affection for one another wasn’t a spectator sport. She heard the van drive away as she pulled back slowly.

Her mother wiped an eye quickly and then scanned Leslie’s face. Her black eye had faded to a yellowish hue, but the look of concern on her mother’s face was still there. “I’m so grateful you’re okay,” she said, sounding slightly choked.

She wasn’t the only one. “I’m fine. Just a few bruises, that’s all.” And a fractured cheekbone and third degree burns still healing on her hand, but she wasn’t there to talk about the craziness of the last month. Injuries were part of their chosen careers. “I’m moving back home,” she said. Then realizing her word choice, she said, “I mean to Wild River...not home...home.”

Her mother nodded slowly. “I mean you could. I mean if you wanted to... Just temporarily obviously, we’re not going to be permanent roommates or anything. That would be weird. But until you find a place of your own.”

To say the offer came as a shock would be an understatement and she couldn’t find the