Page 198 of Halo

I look down because suddenly I can’t keep staring at that wall.

All these years, I thought I knew what Dad felt when he looked at me.

Maybe I never did.

It doesn’t erase anything. It doesn’t give us back the conversations we never had or make me miss him in some new, uncomplicated way.

But standing there, I realize I do miss him.

Maybe I always have.

My brother pats my shoulder.

“We’d love to see you around here more, Nick. All three of you.”

I nod, still looking at Dad’s wall.

“I think I’d like that.”

He squeezes my shoulder before heading toward the door.

“You up for taking the horses out tomorrow?”

I look at Dad’s picture one last time before following him.

“Yeah.”

And this time, I mean it.

“I think we’re ready.”

Chapter 49

Leah

Sunlight slips through the gap in the curtains and lands directly across my face, which feels unnecessarily aggressive considering how little sleep I got last night.

I pull the sheet higher over my chest and turn away from it, only to hear Nick laugh somewhere across the room.

“Morning, sleepyhead.”

I crack one eye open.

He’s standing near the dresser, pulling a T-shirt over his head, his hair still a mess from sleep. When his face appears through the collar, he looks entirely too pleased with himself.

“Although maybe I should call you the Energizer Bunny.” He grins. “Where the hell did that come from?”

I bury my burning face in the pillow. “I don’t know.”

“I thought you were exhausted.”

“I was.”

“And then suddenly you weren’t.”

“Endorphins?”

He laughs as he comes back toward the bed. “Whatever it was, I’m not complaining.”