Page 63 of The Strawberry Field

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I take a sip of coffee, the warmth grounding me, and I breathe deeply.

The fog is clearing.

On the lake.

And maybe, inside me too.

Can I really change Hannah’s life?

And mine?

Am I capable now of doing something that bold, something that hopeful?

I try to picture it.

Her here. With me.

Waking up in the guest room. Sitting at this table. Laughing. Asking questions.

The old me could have done it. The one who believed she could fix what was broken if she worked hard enough. But I’m not sure that woman still exists.

Or maybe…maybe she does.

Maybe she’s been buried.

Waiting.

Not that long ago, I didn’t want to see another day. I’d lost so much—my patients, my career, the man I loved. A pandemic out of nowhere stripped away all the scaffolding I’d built my life on. But somehow, here I am.

And now there is this unexpected widening in my chest. A soft shift. A slow opening.

A child who needs someone.

A man who once knew me better than anyone.

A life I never imagined, suddenly within reach.

It doesn’t look like the future I planned.

But maybe, just maybe, I’m becoming someone who can step into it anyway. Scarred, unsure. But standing. Still standing.

Chapter Thirty

Jake

I HEAR A vehicle pull into the driveway and glance out the window.

Hattie trots to the door, tail wagging. I follow her outside, and we meet Sawyer just as she’s getting out of her car.

She smiles, and there’s something lighter about her this morning. Something different.

“Hey,” I say.

“Hey.” She bends to rub Hattie’s head.“I should’ve called.”

“You know you don’t have to.” I gesture toward the house.“Want a cup of coffee?”

“I’ve had enough for today. I’ve been up since four.” She pauses.“Can we talk?”

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