Page 6 of Long Road Home

How was she? Just as beautiful as I remembered, if not more so. She carried herself with grace, head held high despite the whispers she obviously heard.

She had never caved to them in all the years I’d known her, at least until the end. Something was different about her though, too. She’d grown stronger, more certain of herself and who she was. It was clear not only in her composure but how quickly she put me in my place.

That confidence was something I’d always wanted to give her.

“I was a dick to her.”

“No shit?”

“Swear to fucking God Ryan, you don’t find more words in your vocabulary to use, I’m going to beat the shit out of you.”

He laughed and slapped my shoulder. “Oh come on. Give me a minute to process this. She married?”

“Is who married?” Rebecca asked. She sauntered up to us on her back deck and slid her arm around Cooper’s waist.

“Fuck.” I groaned and dropped my head into my hand.

Ryan foundallhis words. “Destiny showed up at the funeral with a kid.”

“Don’t.” I shoved the palm of my hand in Rebecca’s direction and didn’t look up. “Don’t start, Rebecca.”

My sister erupted like a volcano when any mention of that part of my life was brought up.

“She…” she sputtered. “Well, is she?”

“Is she what?” I asked. I closed my eyes. I needed a nap. For weeks.

“Married?”

“No ring on her finger.” I’d checked. More than once or twice. As soon as I saw that little boy grab her hand and hold on tight, I’d focused all my attention on her hands and there was nothing. Not even the hint of a wedding band tan line.

“Oh shit,” Ryan said, laughing. “You feel like a dick for being an ass to her, don’t you?”

Yes. Of course I did.

“Fucking hell,” I groaned. “Shut up.”

He didn’t. “And you’re thinking of going to apologize to her, aren’t you?”

I drained my beer in two large swallows. Did I buy some mini-size bottles? They were going down too fast.

“No.” Yes. Of course I was.

“Bullshit.” He knew me too well.

“So what about the kid? How old?”

That came from Cooper, and since I knew he didn’t hate the woman I’d loved, I lifted my head at the same time I reached for my phone. “I have no idea. A boy, though. Took a picture of him.”

“Why in the hell would you do that?” Rebecca asked, grabbing the phone out of my hand.

“What’s going on out here?” Kelly, Ryan’s wife, asked.

“Jesus.” I slammed my hands to my face and scrubbed them down. “I came here for a few drinks and some quiet, is that too much to ask?”

“Around this group?” Kelly asked, grinning like the crazy woman she was. “Of course it is. What are you looking at?” She turned to Rebecca and her eyes went crazy wide.

“What?” I didn’t have porn on my photo. No dick pics. Nothing that could make Kelly and Rebecca look like they’d seen a ghost. I shoved out of the chair. “What is it?”

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