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The judge gave me eight years with the possibility of parole after five.
I’d do it all over again to protect Annie. No amount of prison time would’ve convinced me to tell the truth about what really happened. Knowing she and my niece were safe is what kept me sane behind those bars. They’re all who mattered in the end.
CHAPTERONE
ARCHER
PRESENT DAY
My palms are sweaty,and I keep wiping them on my jeans as I wait for the plane to deboard. It’s been half a decade since I took a flight, and it was just as uneventful as before. I don’t know why I’m so nervous, considering Tyler has always been a close friend, but moving to the small town he grew up in is a big deal.
Tyler and I were cellmates, and we kept in touch even after he was released. He’s like a brother to me, and we’d do anything for one another. It’s one of the reasons I considered moving here, plus I wanted to get the hell away from Nevada. After he offered me a job at the gym he just opened and helped me find a place to live in his hometown, I couldn’t say no. It was a chance for me to learn to live again without my past hanging over me like a black cloud.
Eventually, it’s my turn, so I grab my carry-on. It’s all I brought with me. Though my sister packed all my things into boxes for when I got out, I decided to leave them behind.
Once I’m off the plane, I quickly walk through the airport. I keep my head down, not wanting to draw attention to myself—something I’ve perfected over the years. Eventually, I find Tyler waiting for me outside. When I’m close, he gives me a tight hug.
“Damn, you’re fit as fuck,” I tell him with a laugh when he lets me go.
“The benefits of owning a gym, I suppose. Need some help with that?”
“Nah,” I say and throw my suitcase into the back seat.
“We’ll be in Lawton Ridge in a few hours. How was the flight?” he asks as we buckle, then turns onto the highway.
“It was boring. Slept most of the time. But tell me about you. How’s dad life and the new business?” I have nothing interesting to talk about and often prefer to listen, but Tyler already knows that.
He chuckles. “It’s amazing. I love being a dad and a husband. It’s two of my greatest accomplishments. The gym is growing, and we even have people driving from the next town over to join. Swear everyone in town has a membership at this point, which is a dream come true. Proof that it’s possible to start over and find happiness. It’s gonna happen for you too, Archer.”
I give him a pointed look.
“I’m serious. You’ve got a job. A place to live. If I can start over, you can too. I wholeheartedly believe that.”
“Glad you haven’t lost your faith in me.”
“You’re damn right.”
“About the only one who hasn’t,” I mumble.
“That’s not true.”
Tyler chats about the weather, and I’m happy for the subject change.
“Ya hungry?” he asks.
“Nah, I already ate. Grabbed a burger before my flight. Can’t remember eating something so good after choking down slop for the past five years.”
“That’s too damn bad. Belinda—she owns the deli and is the one dating Gemma’s dad—made her famous shepherd's pie today.”
“Oh yeah, I remember you mentioning her before. Does she make it often?”
“All the time when the weather starts changing. It’s Southern comfort food at its finest.”
“If you say so.” I laugh because his Southern accent is starting to come out more now that he’s been home. “But I could make room,” I tell him, patting my full stomach.
Tyler catches me up with more details of the gym and how great it is being married to the woman he’s been in love with for eternity—Gemma. Their baby girl, Scarlett, was born two months ago, and Tyler’s already excited to have more kids. I smile, noticing how truly happy he is. Seeing him like this gives me an inkling of hope that maybe one day I’ll have the same.
“I was thinking I could pick you up tomorrow mornin’ for a tour of the gym. Is six too early?”
