Page 38 of When We Are Complete

“Keep me updated,” he says before hanging up.

The Valiant Hearts—just a bunch of school friends who grew up together and somehow ended up becoming a team that people call on. We’re carpenters, firefighters, paramedics, guys with regular jobs, but when something goes wrong in Harbor’s Edge, we step up.

We set up the Valiant Hearts in memory of Danny Heart, our good friend who died in a fire. Danny was always the first to help, the first to think about others. Setting up a disaster response team in his honor was the best way to keep his legacy alive, so we’re out there helping where we can—because that’s what Danny would’ve done.

I pocket my phone and take a moment to collect my thoughts. The storm forecast is

a complication. With the festival preparations well under way, this is the last thing we need.With a quiet groan, I turn back to Kelly, trying to figure out how to break the news without adding to the weight I already see in her eyes. She’s standing by one of the benches, probably mentally measuring something, making sure it’sjust right.

“Hey,” I say, trying to sound casual but failing. “That was Patrick. They’re predicting a rough winter ahead. Nor’easters, high pressure over Greenland—cold air’s sticking around. There could be some pretty severe snow storms in the next few weeks.”

Kelly makes a face. “Great. Just what we need.”

I step closer, lowering my voice. “Hey, we’ll get through it. The festival will still be great, even if we have to adapt.” I’m so close to her, and my pulse races like I’m a teenager all over again. “It’ll work out. You and me—we’re good at making things happen, remember?”

She presses her lips together. “I know.” But her voice is too calm. Too controlled.

I want to say something more, to reach out and pull her into my arms, comfort her and kiss away her stress. I don’t, but I want to.

Both of our phones buzz at the same time. I glance at mine, a notification from the mayor flashing on the screen.Perfect timing.I can practically see the stress roiling through Kelly.

She reads part of the message aloud, her voice tense. “Severe lightning storms expected over the next few days. Please take precautions.” She huffs, rubbing her forehead. “Well, that’s just great. I’m supposed to head out to the Pine Barrens tomorrow to scout the site for one of the festival attractions.”

I fold my arms across my chest. “You can always go after the storms. There’s no point in heading out if it’s dangerous.”

But she squares her shoulders, eyes flashing with that familiar stubbornness. “We can’t afford to fall behind, especiallywith the snow forecast. If we start slipping in the schedule now, everything will fall apart.”

“A few days won’t hurt.”

“A few days turns into a week or more. I’m sticking to my schedule.”

The way she says it stirs something protective in me. I get it—this festival is important to her. But it doesn’t sit right, her charging into a storm just to keep things on track. There’s no way she’s going alone. “Alright, I’ll come too.”

“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll be fine.”

I lean a hand on the counter, watching her closely. “You say that an awful lot.” The words land heavier than I meant, and she looks up, startled.

I shift, rubbing the back of my neck. Did I push too far? The last thing I want is to make her uncomfortable, but the thought of her out there in the storm, alone, gnaws at me. “Look, I’m sure you’ll be fine. You always are. But I won’t be—not if I’m sitting here wondering if you’re okay out there.”

Her expression softens just slightly, but she doesn’t say anything, so I keep going. “I’m not letting you go alone. Not for your sake...” I pause, hesitating. With a small shrug, I let the words fall out. “But for mine.”

She blinks, caught off guard, and for a second, the space feels too still, like the air between us is holding its breath. For a minute I think she’s going to argue with me, but then her lips twitch, although she’s too stressed to crack a real smile. “Fine. We can take my car. Meet me at Town Hall tomorrow morning at nine.”

I almost tell her I’ll meet her earlier, just for a few extra minutes together. “Tomorrow, then.”

We walk toward her car, and I keep my pace slow, dragging out these last few moments. It’s strange how much everything between us has shifted. A couple of weeks ago, after thatdrunken hookup at the wedding, she wouldn’t have said more than two words to me.

Now we’re... something else. Not friends, exactly, but not enemies either. Maybe somewhere in between, in that messy space where things are unsaid but felt.

I open my mouth, about to say something, but stop myself. What the hell am I supposed to say? That watching her stress herself over this festival is killing me? That every time I’m around her, I’m walking on a knife’s edge between wanting to tear her clothes off and not trusting myself to maintain this professionalism we agreed to.

That I’ve loved her since I was a teenager, and every day since.

I promised myself I’d wait, that I’d earn her trust.

“Don’t worry too much, okay?” I finally say as we reach her car. “We’ll make it through these storms. The festival will still go ahead.”

Her eyes flicker to my mouth for the briefest second before she looks away. “Yeah. Sure. See you tomorrow.”

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