“Good morning,” I reply cheerfully. “I’m relieved to see you with your pants on today.”
Sawyer nearly chokes on his sip of water.
Dare grins.
“Explain,” Sawyer growls.
I rest a comforting hand on his thigh. He has nothing to worry about. “I learned a valuable lesson to never, ever search for a hiding spot beside Cain’s and Freya’s garage,” I say.
Sawyer roars with laughter.
Smiling, I settle back in my chair and let myself enjoy this new life I stumbled on—and then fought for. The conversation flows around me, so easy and welcoming, and the last of my doubts melts away. The lessons I’ll learn from now on will be different…and I’m ready for them.
I know I’ll never need to find another hiding spot. I found my safe place. Here. I found…him.
Dear Elsie…
Dear Elsie,
In my heart, I’m never sure if I’ve accepted that it’s over between us. How can I close this chapter of my life when it never truly started?
You were mine for three months. I still think about how perfect that time was. Maybe, as the weeks went on, we would have fallen apart anyway, and maybe, you would have looked over my shoulder, just for a second, and noticed him watching you.
He was waiting from the start. Did you know? I suppose he’s admitted it to you by now.
You married him today.
I saw you on the beach at sunset. You wore exactly the type of wedding dress I imagined you would. It was a vintage dress with a puffy skirt that finished just below your knees, and your bare feet were hidden in the sand. I’ve never seen you smile as beautifully as the moment just before he kissed you.
I wanted to tell you not to be a stranger, to stay in touch now that I’m leaving, but… I knew that wasn’t the right thing to do. I walked away. You chose a good man, but God, Elsie… I wish it had been me standing there marrying you.
Do you ever wonder? What if I’d never said those words? You said you forgive me. I’m not sure I’ll ever forgive myself.
Addio, little gem.
Luke.
Epilogue
25 years later
Ada
The twenty-fifth wedding anniversary.
I’m the only one in my family who bothered to do any research. That’s how I know this anniversary is a big one. Silver. That’s also the complete opposite of what anyoneshouldexpect, given my mother is a world-renowned historian… Well, with five to twelve-year-olds.
The Worst Bits, the online streaming series Mum started—and that took off during the pandemic—is watched by kids. Boys, mostly. The grosser the “worst bit” is, the better. I never got it.
Just like I don’t get my parents sometimes.
They made a truckload of money and never moved. They still live in the same house my brother and I grew up in by the beach. Sure, Dad splurged on building a separate studio out back for them to work on the videos. He says composing music and editing are easier now that they aren’t crammed into the room beside the garage. And yeah, Mum quit her teaching job. That’s it, though.
They celebrated her channel’s one millionth subscriber by enjoying “a nice steak and a bottle of wine” at the bistro with their friends.
If it’s up to them, they won’t celebrate their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, either. Not with a party, anyway. The two of them are so weird. Cool. Nice, even. But soquiet.
They still snuggle up together on the sofa without the TV on. Dad might pull out his guitar and strum a song. Mum will read her book. Sometimes, he’ll just sit there next to her, his arm slung over her shoulder, looking out over the ocean. No phone. Nothing. He smiles a lot when they cuddle like that.
