Page 20 of The Sweetest Obsession

Tumbling around the backyard. Chasing each other through the woods bordering the property, telling ghost stories, daring each other to do stupid kid shit.

Back then, the three of us were inseparable.

The world made sense.

When Ethan disappeared, the glue holding us together came apart along with reality, leaving this chaos that has my dumb ass spinning in circles.

The screen door squeals behind me and I turn. “Ophelia—”

But it’s not her.

Angela Sanderson steps out on the back porch, her movements slow and graceful.

She’s the spitting image of an older Ophelia, grace and beauty refined into something more reserved and dignified and weathered.

Instead of Ophelia’s shining green eyes, her mother’s eyes are a soft, compassionate brown. She still wears a scarf over her tumbles of blonde hair, even after all these years. Used to be, she’d wear it to cover how her hair was falling out from the chemo while she fought off cancer, but now it’s like it’s part of Angela’s whole look, a trademark modest thing.

Just as familiar as her gentle smile as she looks up at me, sighing. “Fighting again, are you? You two are like oil and water lately, sad to say.”

“Guess so, ma’am.” I grumble, trailing into a groan.

Smile lingering, Angela stops at my side, folding her slender hands in front of her and looking out into the night. The faint moonlight glows against her pale skin while those night sounds drone on.

“Do you know what your problem is? Both of you.”

“We’re both too mouthy for our own good, ma’am?”

“Sometimes,” she admits with a touch of humor. She glances at me sidelong, knowing. “The real problem is neither of you ever say what you really mean to each other.”

“I...” I cough.

Oh, shit. Am I that transparent?

Clearing my throat, I look away too quickly, staring up at the night sky.

“Yeah. I guess that’s an issue. Too late now, though. She’s made up her mind and she’s goin’ away.”

“Away is never reallyaway,boy. She’ll come back. Spring break, Christmas, my girl wouldn’t let me miss her that much.” Angela pats my arm. “You’ll get your chance to mend fences. But Grant?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you,” Angela says warmly, her eyes glimmering. “For never giving up on my son.”

It catches me so off guard I don’t know what to say, so I nod respectfully as my throat closes off. “Of course, ma’am. Ethan wouldn’t give up on me.”

Angela only smiles, squeezing my arm before she turns to go inside, leaving me alone.

I don’t stay much longer.

This isn’t my house—and it hasn’t been a place where I truly belonged for a long damn time.

So I turn to walk around the side of the house and let myself into my patrol car.

As I pull away, there’s a light on the top floor window.

For just a second, I see her.

A slender figure against the curtain that catches me and holds my heart captive.

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