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“I guess it’ll be a family affair.”
“Guess so.”
“Speaking of family, you and Nora set a date yet?”
Lawson smirked and shook his head. It was a question he was beginning to hear quite often. “Not yet. You and Hanna?”
“Dax and Kyra set a date which inspired Hanna. She wants to get married in August.”
Lawson nodded, remembering he wasn’t the only one at Vollucci Security to propose the previous holiday season. Daxhad popped the question on New Year’s. Given all Kyra had been through, he wasn’t surprised by the speed at which they’d set a date. He admired her determination to put the past behind her and move on with her life.
“I’ll make sure to pass that along.”
“Three VS weddings in a year. Didn’t see that coming.”
Before Lawson could respond, his phone began to vibrate with a call in his pocket. He reached for it, curious who was trying to contact him. Given the time of day, he assumed it would likely be one of the women in his life. Though, seeing as how he’d yet to hit the gym, he hoped he wasn’t being beckoned for an errand.
Upon revealing the screen of the ringing device, Lawson sighed. It was a woman trying to reach him, but it was a woman he’d been trying to avoid for weeks now. For reasons he couldn’t understand, she wasn’t taking the hint.
“You need to answer that?” asked Cruiz.
Lawson hesitated to respond. He knew, without a doubt, he didn’twantto answer the phone. He didn’t like how familiar her name on his screen was becoming. In the grand scheme of things, it hadn’t been that long since he’d ended whatever they were—but it felt like a lifetime ago. He still didn’t knowwhyshe was calling. It was his growing confusion that made him wonder, in spite of what he wanted, did heneedto answer? If for no other reason than to prevent yet another call.
With a shake of his head, he made a split-second decision to ignore her. Again.
“No,” he finally said, returning the phone to his pocket. “It’s not important.”
He stuck around Cruiz’s office for another few minutes, talking business before he took his leave, ready to spend some time at the gym. After an hour of strength training, a few rounds with the punching bag, and a sparring session with thegym’s owner, Kash—Lawson felt refreshed. Unfortunately, when he returned to his gym bag and saw another missed call and a text message from the woman he was hoping to forget, the endorphins from his workout took a hit by the disappointment he felt.
He lopped the strap of his bag over his shoulder, mumbling a distracted farewell on his way past the front desk as he opened the unread text message.
Ashlynn: Lawson, I miss you. Please—please talk to me.
Lawson read her message twice as he made his way to his truck. He stopped at the driver’s side door, not reaching for the handle as he continued to stare down at his phone. He didn’t understand. He ended things with Ashlynn before he moved back to Shelbyville, and he didn’t hear from her until months later. As far as he was concerned, he’d left her and his life in Nashville in his rearview. Even before then, he’d never promised her anything. What they had was casual. He’d made that perfectly clear. Or so he thought. Her text implied otherwise.
He deleted the message and blacked out his screen, convincing himself it was the clearest signal he could send. Her attempts to reach him had been in vain. Furthermore, he could rule out any sort of dire emergency, ridding him of any guilt for leaving her in the cold. He had a family to think about now. The last thing he wanted was to bring home a can of worms for dinner.
Noting the time, he didn’t waste another minute before climbing into his truck and pointing it toward home. He was there long enough to freshen up, the empty apartment a reminder of who was waiting for him. Once more behind the wheel, he caught himself thinking back a couple months. He remembered watching Evelyn interact with his brother afterhe was stabbed. He remembered the jealousy he felt, knowing Atticus had forged a relationship with her without him. So much had changed. Now, four days without her felt like five days too long.
The sun was racing toward the horizon as Lawson pulled into the driveway of the Douglas’ country home. As he made his way toward the front door, the lights from inside cast a warm glow out onto the darkening porch. Like always, he knocked before crossing over the threshold, announcing his arrival. This time, he barely got two steps before he heard the rapid pitter-patter of little feet headed his way.
“Daddy!” cried Evelyn, barreling down the hallway, her loose hair flowing behind her like a cape.
Chuckling, Lawson bent just in time to catch her in his arms before lifting her from her feet. “Hey, darlin’.”
“Daddy, guess what?” she gasped as he carried her through the house.
“What?”
“I saw in a book that the sky has abazillionstars in it. Aunt DeeDee said we can’t see them all ‘cause they’re so far away, but they’re there. Can you believe it?”
“A bazillion? How many is a bazillion?”
Her golden eyes got big, and she looked at him with a serious expression as she replied, “Alot.”
Darlene laughed quietly at their exchange, and Lawson didn’t even try to hide his own appreciation for the beauty of the wonder of a child. As Evelyn continued to chat, filling him in on the highlights of her day, he forgot all about Ashlynn.
It was after six by the time Nora-Jean returned home, her arms ladened with groceries. Lawson helped lighten her load, barely giving her time to put away the cold items before he was shooing her back out the door, Evelyn in tow. He took them to grab a quick bite to eat and then they were headed to the movie theater to see the latest animated film. Evelyn, so excited by the surprise, could hardly contain herself. Seeing her squirm in her seat as the theater darkened made the whole night worth it.
