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I nod against his chest, squeezing him hard. I get up from the bed and go to wake my parents. Their rooms are empty and the beds made. I’m guessing they’ve gone down for coffee. When I come back to our room, Brady’s in the shower. I want to slip in with him, but I can’t. I haven’t been naked in front of him since it happened. I run my hands over my scar. It’s numb, but I feel the staples prickle my fingers through my pants. They’re ugly, both in appearance and in what they represent. I have an appointment to remove them in a few days. I hope once they’re out, I’ll feel more secure.
I go down to the kitchen to find my parents at the table. My dad’s on his iPad, and Mom is filing her nails.
“Good morning.” I greet both of them with a kiss on the head before pouring a cup of coffee. “How’d you sleep?”
“Good,” my dad says at the same time my mother says,
“Awful. You’re dad’s snoring kept me awake.”
I smile. Some things never change. I don’t think my mom’s had a decent night sleep since before she was married.
Dad looks over the top of his iPad. “It’s these damn allergies.”
Mom rolls her eyes, and I laugh.
After I shower, I slip on a simple black dress and look myself over in the mirror. I don’t bother with makeup. It will only end up smeared all over my face.
“God, you’re beautiful.”
I smile at Brady through the mirror as he strolls up behind me. He slips an arm around my waist, flattening his palm on my stomach. I flinch. He removes his hand as I watch his face contort in the mirror.
“I’m sorry.”
I turn in his arms to face him. “It’s just a little tender,” I reassure him.
“Everyone’s ready.”
I let out a small sigh. “Okay. I just need to grab my purse.”
“Liv has it.”
I take a deep cleansing breath as Brady drops his lips to my forehead, kissing gently. I close my eyes, breathing him in. “I love you.”
He holds my hand as we make our way downstairs.
We pile into two cars. Brady, my parents, and I are in one, and Liv, Harrison, and Tug are in another. After crossing the border, we sit in traffic through downtown San Diego. We arrive in Pacific Beach ten minutes before services are supposed to start. We’re having Mona laid to rest at the same cemetery where my Brady’s real parents are buried and where my parents already own a plot. I want Mona with her family.
Tug meets with the representatives from the funeral home. He’s handled all the arrangements. I don’t know what I would’ve done if he wasn’t here.
Soon, a few more cars pull up. Jesse and Chad get out of the first car. I spot Jessica with Chad. She runs up and wraps me in a hug. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” she says in my ear before releasing the hug. It takes everything in me not to start bawling. “If you need anything at all, I’m here for you. Chad and I love you, girl.”
I melt. I love them, too. “Thank you.”
Chad hugs me next, offering the same condolences, and then Jesse. The three of them move on to Brady. I glance toward the cars and see Rodrigo. He’s dressed in a black suit, so different from his usual shorts and T-shirts.
I throw my arms around him first. It means so much to me that he’s here. “Thank you for coming,” I tell him, releasing our hug.
He holds my hands to his chest. “You and Brady are like family. I love you, mija.”
“I love you, too.”
When I look over toward the cars again, I freeze. My heartbeat accelerates to a point where it feels like it might leap from my chest. What the fuck is he doing here?
I hear Liv yell, “No! Brady, don’t!” She runs toward him, but her heel catches in the sod.
The next thing I see is Brady slamming Jake up against the door of his car. They’re both screaming, but I can’t make out what they’re saying. I run toward them. When I reach them, Tug is there, standing in between the two of them. They’re panting and out of breath, yet still sizing each other up.
“You have some nerve showing up here.” I glare at my unfaithful ex, angry and confused. How could he show up here, after everything he’s put me through? “How did you even know?”
