How wrong is that?”
“It’s okay,” I assure her. “We’ll find it.” I scan the area and point. “I think it might be that way. I remember it being near a big tree.”
“Right, right,” she chants. “That sounds right.”
She heads off the way I pointed. I scan every marker we pass, and up ahead, Thea gasps, dropping to her knees.
“This is it,” she breathes.
I hand her the flowers and toys and start to back away, but her hand quickly darts up and grabs onto my jeans. “Stay,” she pleads, looking up at me with wide eyes. “I don’t want to be alone.”
“Are you sure?” I ask.
She nods. “Please.” Her voice is no more than a whisper, the pain evident in the way she can barely speak.
“Okay.” I clear my throat and sink down onto my knees beside her.
She takes my hand, wrapping her fingers firmly around mine.
I look at her, but she keeps her gaze pinned on the gravestone. It’s just a simple stone marker, spelling out Gabe’s name, birthday, and the day he died.
“Hi, Gabe,” Thea says softly. “I’m sorry I haven’t come to visit you in a while. I’m a shitty sister.” She wipes a tear away. “I’ll be honest, I’ve tried hard to forget you. It was easier to pretend you didn’t exist, but that was wrong of me. So wrong. And I’m sorry. I hope you can forgive me. I promise I’m done being that selfish now, and I want to celebrate you in any way I can, every day, so that you’re always here with us.” She traces her finger over his name. “You were a cool kid, even if you irritated the crap out of me. I really do love you, so much, more than you’ll ever know, and I’m sorry I never got to show you. I’m sorry your life was cut short.” She begins to sob, and I place my hand on her back, trying to offer her any comfort that I possibly can. “I hope wherever you are up there, that it’s beautiful, and that you’re always smiling.”
She wipes her eyes and places the flowers the way she wants them and then puts the train above his name.
She turns to me, mascara smudged beneath her eyes. “Look at me.” She laughs. “I’m a mess.”
I chuckle and grasp her neck, pulling her toward me so I can kiss her forehead.
“You’re my mess.”
“The divorce papers are here,” I announce with glee.
Xander’s head snaps up from the kitchen table, where he was eating his breakfast, and says, “What?” His eyes are wide with horror and he looks torn between pissed off and hurt. He starts to slide the chair out from the table, no doubt ready to confront me.
I smack him on the head with the padded envelope. “Not for us, you dipshit. For my mom.”
“Oh.” His body sags with relief and he gives me a boyish smile. “My mistake.”
“Now that you mention it, though …” I start, tossing the envelope on the kitchen counter. I saunter over to him and sink into his lap, straddling him. His hands fall to my thighs. “The summer is dangerously close to over. So, what do you say, Kincaid? You wanna be stuck with me forever? Sure you don’t want to take one of those pretty cheerleaders for a ride?”
He shakes his head, his brown eyes darkening. “You. I only want you.” He licks his lips. “How about you? You want to explore the party college life? A new guy every weekend?”
“Eh, I did that last year.” I wave a hand dismissively. He gives me a look of horror. “The parties, not the guys.”
He chuckles and leans his forehead against mine so our noses touch. “So, we’re going to make this work?”
“Yep.” I pop the “p” driving home my point. Growing serious, I add, “I don’t want anyone else, and this may not be how I imagined us getting together, but I don’t regret it. It’s part of our story and that’s a beautiful thing.”
He cracks a grin and leans back. “Look at you being all poetic.”
I shrug and wrinkle my nose. “It happens every once in a blue moon.”
Cade’s footsteps sound into the room—I know it’s him, because he walks like an ogre—and he makes a gagging sound. “Do you guys have to be so lovey-dovey all the time? You’re making me sick with all this sweetness.”
I stick my tongue out at him. “It’s about time you got a taste of your own medicine. Deal with it.”
He