Page 156 of Timid (Lark Cove 2)

“Decide what?” she whispered. I didn’t need to look to know that Mom’s eyes were full of tears. Her dark hair had gotten a dozen new grays tonight. Her normally cheery and bright hazel eyes held their own fog of grief.

“One or two.”

“One or two what?”

I swallowed the fire in my throat. “Graves.”

One or two.

“Oh, Kaine.” Mom began to weep and her hand reached for my arm, but I shied away. “Please come inside, sweetheart. Please. We need to talk about this. He needs to talk to you. Give him a chance to explain.”

“I have nothing to say to him.” He’d done this. He was the reason I had to decide.

“Kaine, it was an accident. A tragic accident.” She hiccupped. “He—”

I walked away before she could finish. I walked right into the dark, wishing this blackness would swallow me whole.

Mom’s voice rang across the parking lot as she called out, but I simply walked, my boots carrying me into the black.

One or two.

An impossible choice.

As if the heavens sensed my despair, the clouds opened. Rain poured down, soaking my dark hair. It dripped over my eyes and coated my cheeks. The water soaked my jeans, making them cling to my legs.

But I couldn’t feel the water droplets as they streamed down the bridge of my nose. I couldn’t feel the locks of hair that were stuck to my forehead. I couldn’t feel the wet denim on my thighs as it rubbed my skin raw.

I was numb. There was nothing.

Nothing except the weight of four pounds, two ounces wrapped in a pink blanket resting in my arms as I said good-bye.

One or two.

What would Shannon want?

One. She’d choose one.

So I’d bury them together.

Then surrender to the black.

“You’re here!” Thea rushed across the runway.

“I’m here!” I stepped off the last stair of my boss’s private jet just as she threw her arms around me. The Kendrick family, Thea in particular, was arguably more excited about this adventure of mine than I was.

Montana, meet your newest resident: Piper Campbell.

I loved it here already.

The sky above me was blue with only a few wisps of feathered clouds. The sunshine was warm on my shoulders and the April air fresh in my nose. Any doubts I’d had about moving floated away in the mountain breeze.

Thea gave me one last squeeze for good measure, then stood back so her husband could take her place.

“Hey, boss.” I gave Logan a mock salute as I infused the word boss with as much sarcasm as possible.

Logan chuckled, shaking his head as he came in for an embrace. His hug wasn’t quite as enthusiastic as his wife’s, but it was a close second. “It’s good to see you.”