Page 86 of No One Else

I reach over and grip his hand tightly. “What happened?”

He’s silent for a moment, then starts speaking, his voice quiet. “They went out to dinner for their anniversary. I was old enough by then to stay home by myself. It was about an hour after they should have been back, but I wasn’t really paying attention, just happy to stay up late and play video games. I got a call from my Dad, but when I answered, it wasn’t him on the line. It was a nurse at the hospital saying he and Mom had been in an accident.”

He stops talking for a second and I squeeze his hand, letting him know I’m here for him. “I didn’t know what to do,” he whispers. “I was a day shy of thirteen. I ended up going to the neighbors and asking if they could drive me to the hospital. Dad’s whole left side was all bandaged up, his leg broken. There’d been a bunch of hot, twisted metal I guess. The doctors said he had a long recovery ahead of him, but he’d eventually be okay. But Mom and the other driver... the guy died that night and Mom died the next day.”

“On your birthday.”

He nods, something wet dropping on our joined hands.

I let go of him and climb onto his lap, practically suffocating him with how tight my arms are wrapped around his neck, trying to absorb all his pain, my heart absolutely breaking for him.

He hugs me back just as fiercely, his body giving one shudder, then goes still as he gets himself under control.

“Why did the suit trigger all this?” I ask softly after a minute, stroking his back.

“He forgot to mention the last time he wore it was to her funeral. The last time I wore a suit too.”

I nod against his shoulder, too choked up to respond for a moment. “I’m so sorry, Evan. You obviously don’t have to wear the suit. We don’t even have to go to the gala-”

“No, I’ll go,” he says, his voice stronger now. “And Dad’s right. It has happy memories too.”

I lean back, fingering the lapel and look him in the eye. “We can make new memories for the suit now, starting with the gala. And thank you for telling me all that.”

He strokes my cheek, his face serious. “I wasn’t trying to keep it from you. It’s just, that’s a part of me...” He stops, looking down for a second before continuing. “She’s gone, and it took a long time to come to terms with that, but it is what it is.”

“I understand.” I run my fingers through the short hairs at the nape of his neck, kneading the muscles there till the tension drops. “And I’m sorry she’s not here to see the amazing man you’ve become. I think she’d be happy to see you wearing it. It was tied to the happiest days of her life too.”

He looks at me with something like hope in his eyes. “You really think so?”

I nod, hugging him again. I think back to him confessing his love in December and internally cringe at my reaction, abandoning him on the dance floor. How hurt he must have been, how it might even have brought up memories of losing another woman he loved.

I still believe I made the only decision I could have at the time, but if I had known then what I know now... no, it’s too hard to go down that path. Maybe things happened the way they were supposed to. Maybe our love story couldn’t start until now. If I hadn’t followed Carter here to Suncoast for school, if he hadn’t given me a comparison so I could see how much better of a boyfriend Evan is, what real love and devotion feel like...

There must be a reason I went through all that, to bring me to this man, right here, right now. “I love you.”

“God, I love you too,” he breathes, leaning back to take my mouth in a claiming kiss full of promise, of reverence, of healing.

It doesn’t last long, though, as we hear Pete’s cane from down the hallway, breaking us apart.

“I need to drive you home soon,” he murmurs, nuzzling my neck briefly.

“In a little bit,” I tell him, wanting to stay close for as long as I can.

Just until I have to leave.

---