Page 6 of Starcrossed Colorado

Callum snorted. “It wasn’t as bad as that day Ashford was babysitting us at the library. Remember the skateboard trick he tried to do on the front railing?”

Piper laughed. “Oh yeah. That was epic.”

“I hate you both,” I deadpanned.

Grace nudged me with her arm. “Whatever, big brother. You love us.”

“I loveyou, Gracie. Because you’re nice. Most of the time.”

“And you, Ashford, are an incurable asshole to everyone except Maisie and Grace,” Callum said, still grinning. “Most of the time.” Luckily, the kids weren’t listening.

“But he’sourasshole,” Piper quipped. “He always took care of us.”

“Tried, at least.” A smile creased the corners of my mouth.

Grace was the baby of the O’Neal family. Then Callum was next youngest, then me. Eldest was our brother Grayden. Yes, I could admit I had a soft spot for my youngest sister, but Piper was like a sister to me too. She and her older brother Teller had lived across the street when we were kids, and they’d been there for us through everything my family had gone through—my mom’s death, my dad taking off.

Then Grayden’s issues. Hadn’t seen or heard fromhimin over a decade.

My point was this: I had reasons for my asshole tendencies.

Once we’d reached adulthood, we’d scattered for a while. But except for Grayden, we’d all made our way back home.

One night, wasted on tequila and sharing our tragic heartbreaks, Piper had dubbed our friend group the “Lonely Harts” club as a joke. H-a-r-t because we lived in Hart County. And the unfortunate name had stuck. Probably because it was accurate. We all had terrible luck with romantic relationships. Happily-ever-afters belonged in movies, not reality.

But we had each other. I could trust each of them with Maisie. If I hadn’t had their support through the last several years? I had no idea what I would’ve done.

Yeah, I loved this family. Even crotch-kicking Ollie.

It was my job to protect them.

Before I said goodbye, I gave each of them a hug. And then an extra-long hug and kisses for Maisie, who jumped into my arms like a tiny koala bear.

“I love you bunches, Daddy.”

“I love you bunches too, monkey. Even more than yesterday. I hope I don’t run out of room in here.”

That made her giggle, like it always did. I cherished every one of those moments. Because you never knew if this goodbye would be the last one you got.

The rest of my afternoon was a bust.

I trekked forty minutes out to another town to check on some used equipment and supplies. A martial arts school wasgoing out of business, which was depressing as all hell. Like a nightmare vision of my possible future. The owner refused to negotiate on price, so I left with only a few training mats that I could’ve gotten elsewhere. Waste of my time.

Then I stopped at a mega-chain grocery looking for Maisie’s favorite granola bars, and the place didn’t even have them. I grabbed a tub of the protein powder Callum liked instead.

Now, I was driving back toward Silver Ridge as the sun was setting. Mountains zig-zagged across the horizon. Twilight shadows spread across the valley on either side of the two-lane highway. Aside from a dark abandoned car by the side of the road, my truck was the only vehicle in sight. I just wanted to get home.

Dammit, I was tired.

My phone rang, and I glanced at the number on the screen. Discomfort tingled up and down my limbs.

I knew that area code.

Didn’t matter if I blocked this number, because another would inevitably call again. Always the same person who I didn’t intend to speak to. I never answered.

The ringing finally stopped.

Then, because the universe had a sick sense of humor, I realized where I was. Almost to the mile marker where Lori had died on that awful night three years ago.

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