Page 64

Seventeen

ava

Our impending goodbye had hovered in the air the entire time we were sitting in the restaurant together. It hid in Kirby’s glances each time her mum refilled our bowls, and in the tension in Luke’s thigh as it pressed against mine.

Now, as I stood at the back door with my arms crossed, the time had come.

Kirby had changed into fresh jeans and a hoodie after we brought in her belongings. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail now, and a few strands had slipped free to frame her face. She hadn’t stopped moving since we came down here. Fidgeting with her hair. Fussing over Pearl.

Luke waited at the base of the stairs, one hand resting on the railing. He raised his brows at me, then gave a shallow nod toward Kirby.

With my pulse thudding, I pushed off the door. I didn’t want to do this—didn’t want to go. “So…”

Kirby flinched and forced a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “So,” she said, lifting her shoulders in a half shrug. “I made it, right? And my parents. They’re good. It seriously couldn’t have turned out better.”

Pearl sat at her feet, ears pricked.

“Except now we have to leave you,” I said, taking a couple of steps closer.

She huffed a loud breath. “I know. That part sucks, but you’re heading to your sister’s place, right?”

I plucked a piece of fawn-coloured dog hair off my hoodie. “That’s the plan.”

“And then what?”

We didn’t have any details worked out beyond that. Until now, our entire focus had been on survival. “I don’t know, but we’ll figure it out.”

A smile hovered at her mouth. “How, when you won’t have me around as the voice of reason?”

Luke’s laugh came easily, then silence slipped in to take its place, somehow louder now.

Pearl nudged Kirby’s ankle with her nose, tail wagging. She crouched and stroked the dog’s head. “I’m going to miss you both,” she said, looking up at us.

Luke moved away from the stairs, closing the distance between him and Kirby. “We’ll miss you, too, but you’re with your family. It’s where you belong.”

She gave Pearl’s head one last stroke before she straightened. “Yeah, I know. It’s just hard after everything we’ve been through.”

Noises came from upstairs. Muted footsteps thudding across the floor. A door shutting. Ordinary signs of life.

I’d said goodbye to my sister and boarded a plane for a three-month trip that turned into forever.

I’d expected to see her again, though.

But Kirby…

I dipped my hand into my back pocket and passed her the note I’d written yesterday while Luke was in the shower and she was sleeping on the couch. “If you want to come see me any time, this is where I’m heading.”

She unfolded it and looked up at me. “Sadie’s address?”

Avoiding Luke’s eyes, I nodded. “If anything changes and I need to go, I’ll leave a note in her mailbox so you know where to find me.”

I dug my keys from my front pocket and removed the spare one to her mailbox. What used to be for collecting her mail when she was away now felt like a lifeline.

“Don’t lose it,” I said. “And keep the note somewhere safe.”

“Roger that.” Her mouth pressed into a firm line. “Same goes for you—both of you. Come back anytime, even just to visit. We’ll make room.”

“I want to,” I said. “I just don’t know how bad it’ll get. I’ll try, though. I promise.”