Page 149 of Only Fate

“Earl McGrey, a man wrongly convicted of a crime nearly a decade ago, will walk free from prison today,” the reporter says, standing in front of the courthouse, wearing a bright yellow raincoat with the hood up.

The camera pans to Earl walking down the steps. Paula and a group of attorneys are behind him, holding umbrellas over their heads.

“Earl, how does it feel to be free after all these years?” the reporter asks him.

She reported on his story when he was first sentenced. I remember she was very biased and made sure her viewers knew she believed he was guilty.

Honestly, I hope Earl doesn’t even answer her.

I scoot in closer to the TV. They’ve only shown his mug shot from years ago when the news broke about his innocence. Staring at him through the screen, I see the tenseness in his face.

He looks down at the microphone with sunken eyes. “All I’ll say is that I’m happy justice is finally being served, and I wish that my grandmother were here for this moment.” He peers upat the sky as if talking to the heavens. “From day one, she fought for my innocence. I hope those responsible will receive the same harsh punishment I was given. Maybe more since they not only committed the crime but also let another man go down for it. They stole a decade of my life and put my grandmother in an early grave.” He tips his head down. “That is all.”

Poor Earl.

Another reporter asks if he’ll return to Blue Beech, but he ignores the question. He ducks his head, and an attorney guides him away from the crowd to a black SUV.

The night Jenna was arrested, River and Ava found Greg. They drove to his beat-up home and sat outside until the police arrived. Greg didn’t go easily. He pulled out a gun, fired two shots, and threatened to murder everyone else and himself. They Tased him and dragged him out of the house.

Josh was still serving in the military, and according to Paula, they took him off base, and he’s been arrested.

Jayden died in a car accident five years ago after being hit by a drunk driver. The irony.

I refused to help Jenna. So did Adrian.

She was given a public defender, and the prosecution gave her a plea deal to testify against the others. She ended up with immunity, which pissed me off. She was just as involved as them.

Adrian found an apartment closer to town, and Earl moved back into the loft where he was staying. Pete and Agnes had no problem renting the place to him. Turns out, they weren’t trying to steal his home. They wanted to help his grandmother. They even told her she could stay there until her death, and they’d just keep their horses there.

I turn off the TV and toss the remote onto the couch when someone knocks on my door.

“Come in,” I call out, standing.

Adrian walks in and smiles.

“You know, you don’t have to knock.”

“This isn’t my place, so yes, I do.”

I bite my lip, taking him in while he walks in my direction.

God, he’s so damn hot.

He wraps his arms around my waist when he reaches me. “If a certainsomeonewould move in with me, we wouldn’t have to have this conversation every time I knock.”

Now, I think he does it to mess with me.

That’s about the 39,439th time I’ve told him knocking was unnecessary.

I run my fingers along his collarbone. “I’m still considering.”

“And I’m still waiting.” He grabs my hand on his collarbone and kisses it. “The invite is open indefinitely.”

“Glad to hear there’s no expiration date.”

We rotate between staying at each other’s houses. Thankfully, we haven’t had a case against the other again. Someone tried, but Adrian turned them down. He hands most cases to me anyway, which some people find odd when they reach out to him for representation.

I tease him that it’s because he’s afraid of a little competition.

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