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“I can finally hug you,” she whispers, sniffling and rubbing her eyes. “You’ve beefed up.”
I chuckle and shrug, releasing them. “You too,” I tease, glancing at her little baby bump.
“Ha-ha.” She rolls her eyes.
“You look good, son.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
I smile at Belinda, who gives me a kiss on the cheek, then I spot Tyler behind them and hug him next.
“Good to see you, man.” He squeezes me tighter.
I wipe off my cheeks. “You too. I was just about to say you have no idea, but…” We both chuckle.
Gemma married Tyler not too long ago, and they've visited me every month for the past year. Tyler's also an ex-con, but he spent five years in prison for something he didn’t do. However, I’ll be relying on him for support to get through these first few months of reintegrating into society. Not sure if my hometown will be very forgiving or accepting of me since Gabe’s family’s still there. From what Gemma’s told me, no one’s forgotten that night. I sure as hell haven’t.
Given what I did and how it affected everyone, I’m preparing for the worst. Even though my sister and Tyler have reassured me everything will be fine, and they’ll help me find my new normal, I’m anxious about it. Since Tyler has hired me to do the construction at the gym he's remodeling, I already have something to keep me busy. It’s only a temporary position, but at least it's something, and I'm grateful for it. I hope to have another job lined up by the time I finish this one.
I honestly can't wait to go to work, be around people, and find my footing again. Even though I don’t know what people’s reactions will be when they run into me, there's one person in particular who probably never wants to see me again—Katie.
“Well, let’s get out of here and get ya settled at the house,” Dad says, beaming wide.
“And eat,” Gemma adds. “Belinda made her famous fried chicken, and we bought pie.”
“I can’t wait. But before we go home, I need to make a stop,” I say, looking at Tyler.
“Sure, wherever you wanna go,” he tells me as we pile into the SUV. “Just tell me where.”
I fidget a little, knowing my sister is about to rip me a new one. “I don’t actually know the address, but I’m sure you do.”
Tyler looks at me through the rearview mirror, and there’s a mutual understanding.
“Wait, where?” Gemma asks, looking over her shoulder at me.
Tyler starts the engine and drives out of the parking lot as my sister continues to stare at me.
“Katie’s,” I finally answer. “I need to see her before we go home.”
“Noah!” Gemma scolds. “No. She specifically said she didn’t want to see you, and I’m not gonna be the one who forces her.”
“You aren’t,” I argue, standing firm in my decision. “Tyler’s drivin’.”
Tyler snorts. “Babe, just let him.” He tries to calm her. “What’s the worst that can happen? She slams the door in his face?”
“Exactly!” Gemma shouts. “And never talks tomeagain.”
“Maybe she won’t,” I counter, though I know better. Those two are tied to the hip. “I just want to see her. Please. It’s been so long,” I plead softly, hoping she’ll take pity on me.
“Alright, fine. But if she pushes you off the porch or slaps you, don’t say I didn’t warn ya.”
Katie Walker had been my best friend growing up. She was Gemma's friend and always over at the house, and we formed a friendship from there.
Even though I wanted more, I was too afraid of rejection and worried we’d ruin our friendship if it didn’t work out. It was more important to have her in my life, so I kept quiet and just enjoyed the time we spent together.
Since I was a coward and too young to truly understand my feelings for her, I didn't say a goddamn thing when Gabe asked her out. In fact, I'm pretty sure I encouraged it. The last thing I wanted to be seen as was the envious best friend or the jealous guy secretly in love with her. I really didn't expect their relationship to last, considering his reputation. Gabe was never the serious type of guy, at least by all the hookup stories he’d text me.
When we were twenty, he proposed, and Katie said yes. It didn’t sink in until I saw her baby bump a year after they got married that she’d forever be tied to Gabe.
