Page 115 of The Beach Shack Summer
“Meg...” His voice was rough.
“Stay,” she repeated, and this time it wasn’t about ghosts or loneliness or wine. It was about choosing him, choosing this, choosing the life that was taking shape around them.
“Okay,” he said simply. “Okay.”
Neither of them said the words yet. But sitting there in the lamplight, holding each other among the boxes of her former life, they both knew. This was it. This was everything.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Tyler woke at 6 AM out of habit, padding to the kitchen to start the coffee. Through the window, morning light caught on something familiar in front of Meg’s house. Luke’s truck. Still there from last night.
Tyler paused, coffee scoop in hand.
First Stella staying. Then Meg moving three doors down. Now Luke’s truck in her driveway all night. Everything was changing. Everything.
His hands shook slightly as he measured the coffee.
He was staring at the drip, trying not to spiral, when the back door opened twenty minutes later.
“Morning.” Luke looked perfectly composed, maybe a little more relaxed than usual. “Coffee ready?”
“Your truck was there all night.” The words came out accusatory.
“I know.” Luke poured himself a mug like this was any other morning. “Thanks for making coffee.”
“That’s it? That’s all you have to say?”
Luke studied him over the rim of his mug. “What do you want me to say?”
“I don’t know! Something! You can’t just—she’s my sister, Luke.”
“I’m aware.” Luke’s mouth twitched. “Have been for quite some time.”
“This changes everything.”
“Does it?” Luke leaned against the counter, infuriatingly calm. “Tyler, what’s really going on?”
“What’s going on is my best friend’s truck was at my sister’s house all night!”
“And?”
“And... and...” Tyler gripped his mug. “Everything’s different. Stella’s here, Meg’s in Mom’s house, you and Meg are... whatever you are. Nothing’s the same anymore.”
“Ah.” Luke nodded. “There it is.”
“There what is?”
“Tyler Walsh, overwhelmed by change. Classic.”
“I’m not overwhelmed.”
“You’re practically vibrating.”
“I am not—” Tyler stopped. He was, in fact, vibrating slightly. “Shut up.”
Luke laughed, that easy laugh that had gotten Tyler through every crisis. “It’s all good changes, Ty.”
“I know that. Logically. But?—”
