Page 77 of One Last Run

Kiera beamed.

“What makes you think Pete even wants to see me?" Danica asked, running a hand through her hair, exasperated.

"Listen, Dani. I know you're not... spontaneous," Kiera said carefully. "But I —we— think you will regret it if you don't at least try."

"And so even if she does want to see me, we spend a few days in Costa Rica together, which isstillnot real life, and then what?" Danica asked, her throat tightening with emotion at the thought of trying to make it work with Pete. At the thought of failing. Again.

"That part is up to you," Kiera said.

Danica shook her hands, feeling the familiar tingles of the beginning of a panic attack. "I don't... I don't know. I don't do well without plans."

"What would you tell me in this situation? Or Maggie? Or even Izzy?" Kiera asked calmly.

"I'd tell you to suck it up," Danica said automatically, then guffawed at her own words. "Oh my god. This is crazy to even consider. I don't have anything packed." Was she seriously thinking about doing this?

In all of her daydreams, Pete was the one who showed up to beg to try again. But maybe in real life, she had to be the one with the proverbial boom box. She'd never think of a plan like this on her own, but thanks to the imperfect, meddling, busybodies she called friends, she might have a chance at fixing things with Pete.

"Your mom packed your suitcase for you." Kiera's eyes were sparkling with amusement, her mouth twisted in a wry smile.

Danica picked her jaw up from off the floor. "But what about you? You showed up here to get moral support for your divorce, and I'd just be leaving."

Kiera looked slightly sheepish. "I'm not going anywhere. Alex isn’t fighting me on custody, and sometime when the divorce isfinal, the girls and I are moving to Denver to be closer to my folks and Aunt Jade. Actually, Aunt Jade is bankrolling the lawyerandthe move. I'm going to spend this weekend house-hunting."

Danica was completely shocked. "Really?" She hopped up and down excitedly. "You're moving to Denver? Man, I love your Aunt Jade. Wait, do you have a teaching position here yet?”

"I have a few interviews. I'll figure it out. I know I want to be closer to my parents, but also you. If you want… that," Kiera added.

Danica moved around the kitchen island and wrapped her best friend in a hug. "Are you kidding me? I'd love that."

"Which means we have plenty of time to talk more about me and us later. If you want to make it to the airport on time, you'd better go," Kiera said.

Danica felt a rush of emotion and tears fall down her cheeks as she hastily brushed her hair out of her face.

"Are we doing this?" Kiera asked, standing and staring at Danica intently.

It was a terrible idea. It would never work. She'd make a fool of herself. She'd put herself out there only to face the worst rejection of her life. In public. Again. It was a gut-wrenching thought, the idea of standing there, exposed, heart on her sleeve, only to be met with pity or indifference. The humiliation would burn, sharper than anything she’d ever experienced. But it was more than that, wasn’t it? It wasn’t just about rejection. It was about the ache of unspoken words, the weight of everything left unsaid between them. The weight of everything she’d left unsaid by leaving without a goodbye.

And yet, Pete was worth it.

The chance to try again with Pete — the chance to really try — was worth it. Because Pete wasn’t just someone she had a crush on or some passing infatuation. Pete was… everything she hadn’t known she needed. The way Pete saw her, understood her in away no one else had, the way they just fit. It had been too real to ignore, too important to just walk away from. And in the loss of connection that had stretched between them after she’d left, Danica had come to understand that more clearly than anything.

To try again meant facing all of her fears, all of the walls she’d built to keep herself safe from the mess of relationships and emotions. It meant putting herself in a position where she could either heal or break all over again. But what did that even look like? Did she want Pete to know everything? To know that she wasn’t just sorry for walking away but that she was terrified of feeling so much, of letting herself need someone in a way that made her feel vulnerable, out of control? Did she want Pete to understand that she wasn’t just asking for another shot at love — she was asking for the chance to be seen, to fully let in the one person who had always seen her.

Because that was what it all came down to: the chance to be seen. To be understood and accepted for all the parts of her she’d hidden away, for the fears and mistakes and all the jagged edges of perfectionism she kept locked up. And Pete, somehow, had already seen all that. Had seen her for who she really was, and still wanted to see more.

Danica swallowed hard. If she didn’t take this chance, if she didn’t step into that vulnerability, she’d spend the rest of her life wondering,What if?And that thought — that was unbearable.

Yes, she’d risk the humiliation, the rejection, and everything in between. She’d face it all if it meant one more chance to show Pete who she really was, what she really wanted. A fierce determination burned within her, a silent promise to herself. To try. To try again, and maybe — just maybe — make it right this time.

Danica composed herself, taking a deep breath. Her throat was tight with anxiety and her heart raced with excitement, but she was ready. "Okay, but I'm driving."

CHAPTER 24

PETE

The hard,unforgiving chair dug into Pete's thighs as she sat alone at the bar of a restaurant near her gate, her posture mirroring the heavy weight of her melancholy mood. Families laughing, couples talking, children running — the terminal buzzed around her, yet she felt utterly alone. The noise only highlighted the emptiness she felt, amplifying the silence in her head.

She was a seasoned solo traveler, with countless hours in airports under her belt. Today felt different, though. Maybe it was because she was in Denver — so close to Danica she could hardly stand to stay in the airport instead of showing up at her window with a boombox. Not a great idea, given Danica's sudden exit, leaving only the lingering scent of her rosemary shampoo and a void inside Pete.

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