Page 8 of Winter Memories

And all I have is Macklin, and my tail tucked between my legs because I ran back home while the illusions of my dreams evaporated around me.

Macklin, totally oblivious in a way only a three-year-old can be, waves and flashes Fletcher, who is paler than he was moments ago, a huge grin. “Hi. I’m Macklin. I’m three. Who are you?”

Fletcher clears his throat. Then does it again. After the third time he’s able to croak out, “It’s nice to meet you little man, I’m Fletcher.”

Mack’s eyebrows furrow together, and he looks at me. “Fletcher? Like the hero in all the bedtime stories you tell me?”

“Yeah,” I murmur, my throat trying to close up on me, “just like the hero in those stories.”

“Huh,” Macklin hum and then wiggles to be let down, which I comply with.

“It was nice seeing you again, Eden. Walter,” Fletcher clips roughly before turning on his heel and practically sprinting out of the store.

I don’t even think. I shove the basket in my hands at Dad, knowing he’ll take care of Macklin and make some sort of excuse. I spot Fletcher as he starts to round the front of a truck which looks a lot newer than the one that he was rolling around in when we were together.

“Fletcher,” I call out his name and am a little surprised when he immediately stops. I’ve never walked faster in my life; the only reason I don’t run is because it would draw too much attention. Knowing this town, I’ve already caught plenty by calling out to him.

As my mouth falls open, Fletcher holds his hand up to stop me. There’s a hard edge to his voice, “You don’t owe me anything, Eden.”

“Yes,” I breathe out, “I do.” I wring my hands together, barely able to look him in the eye. “I’m not even sure why I feel the need to explain, but if there is anyone in this world who deserves to know the truth about the situation, without any bullshit and before you can make up some story or explanation, it’s you.”

“Fine,” he grits out through clenched teeth and folds his arms across his chest as he leans against the side of his truck.

Everything in me wants to glance around, but I force myself to take a step closer to Fletcher and ignore everything else. If people are watching, let them watch. I can’t care about that right now, not with the way the only man I’ve ever loved is looking at me with sadness and suspicion swirling in his dark eyes.

“It took me years to even think about dating after that day,” I swallow hard, not even able to bring myself to clarify. He’ll know what day I’m talking about anyway. The way his eyes flash shows me just how right I am. “I tried to date here and there, but it wasn’t right. It was never right. I thought about coming back here so many times, but it felt like I’d be letting you down if I did. You always pushed me to go after my dreams. So, I put my head down and that’s what I did. I’ve built a good client list designing book covers and doing other graphic design work, mostly for authors.”

Even though he’s hurt and fuming, Fletcher grants me a look filled with pride. “Good for you, Eden.”

“Macklin is three, which he already said.” I shake my head, trying to stave off the tears threatening to spill down my cheeks. “He’s the result of a one-night stand. I thought the right thing to do was to tell the guy. We tried being together for a little while. It was never-,” I cut myself off and swallow hard. “One day I woke up to him gone and papers signing over his parental rights to my son. I haven’t seen or heard from him in years. It was a mistake,but I love my son. He’s the reason I came back. He deserves to have the kind of childhood I had, and it was past time for me to come home.”

Fletcher looks at me for a long time before he takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “Welcome home, Eden,” he murmurs before climbing in his truck and pulling away.

I stand there and stare after his truck, long after the taillights have disappeared, until Dad and Mack come out of the store, and I have no other choice but to get myself together. I’m not sure if that went just how I feared it would or if it were even worse.

It was destined to happen at some point, but I would have been more than happy to put it off for a little while longer.

CHAPTER 4

FLETCHER

Eden is back in Wintervale. The woman I haven’t seen in 13 years, the same one I haven’t been able to stop thinking about in all the years we’ve been apart. The same one who had all those old feelings roaring back as if no time had passed with just one look.

She’s here. She’s home.

And she has a son.

An adorable little boy who looks so much like his mother. He has her smile and the moment he flashed it at me, I wanted to drop to my knees and hug him against my chest. It makes no fucking sense because jealousy and anger also filled me while a longing made me breathless.

All I could think about was that she was with someone. I didn’t see a ring on her finger. I looked almost the moment I realized who was standing in front of me and shopping in thesame store we visited after school pretty much every day as if no time had passed.

I wasn’t delusional all these years. As much as the thought of her moving on, of her being with other people pissed me off, I knew it had to have happened. Eden is too beautiful, kind, and smart not to garner attention.

But I did ignore the probability of it. It was easier that way, without a doubt.

But she’s back now. In Wintervale.

And she has a son.

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