“Why not? She probably wouldn’t even notice it’s missing. Hell, I can just get some of the ashes from the bigger box and leave the smaller one, and then she will never know.”

“It’s not happening,” I repeat firmly, noticing Sage hasn’t told Chris that his idea is absolutely ridiculous and he won’t be a part of it. “You won’t do that, right?” I ask Sage just to confirm, but he doesn’t answer me. He just gives my hand a squeeze, which makes a chorus of quiet laughter breakout in the back of the car.

Great.

*

HEARING THE FOREIGN sound of a house phone ringing, I pull my eyes from the book I’m reading. I look into the house through the glass doors that lead inside from the sun porch, where I’ve been sitting with my mom since we got back to Sage’s house. Seeing Sage move across his living room and into the kitchen, I watch him grab a slim black phone from its hanger on the wall and put it to his ear.

“I really wish we didn’t have to leave tomorrow,” Mom says, and I pull my attention from Sage to look at her. When we arrived out here, I took up one of the long padded benches lining the wall and she made herself at home in one of the three rope hammocks hanging from the ceiling. “Maybe I should stay. I’m sure your dad could handle stuff for a few days without me.”

“I have to get back to work, too,” I remind her. Even though Frankie told me to take as much time as I need, I can’t afford any more. After forcing my parents to take the money back for Kelly’s cremation, I don’t have much savings left, which means I need to get back to work. “And I need to get out of Sage’s house. He’s been really nice letting us stay here, but I don’t want to take advantage of him and overstay my welcome.”

“You think you could overstay your welcome?”

“Yeah.” I shrug, and she studies me for a long moment before breaking out into a fit of laughter.

“What’s so funny?” I frown at her, and it takes a second but she gets herself under control.

“That man wouldn’t care if you moved in and redecorated everything pink. But he will care if you tell him you feel like you’re taking advantage of him and overstaying your welcome.”

“Mom—”

“Chris told me.” She cuts me off, and my eyes widen.

“What?” I breathe as she swings her legs around and sits up, putting her feet to the floor.

“He told me what happened. He told me about what Kelly did to Sage and what happened between you two. I get why you made up the lie about you and Chris being an item, and I even get why you were so cautious about letting anything happen between you two again, but I don’t understand why you can’t see he feels what you feel.”

“God.” I tip my head back. “Chris totally got you on Team Sage, didn’t he?”

“No.” She shakes her head. “Sage got me on his team by being sweet to my girl, by holding her when she needed to be held, by staying with her while we couldn’t be with her. He got me when he stopped you outside the funeral home to tell you that he would take care of everything, if that’s what you wanted. He got me when he offered your father and me a place to stay, not knowing us from Adam. That’s how he got me. What kind of mother would I be if I didn’t want the best for my baby? You deserve a man like him in your life. You deserve a man who looks like he would take on the world if it was to protect you.”

“He doesn’t know about my illness,” I confess, and she leans closer to me, resting her hand on my knee.

“I know he doesn’t. You told us not to bring it up around him, which we haven’t because you are a woman—a grown woman who needs to make her own decisions about these kinds of things,” she says quietly before leaning in and moving her hand up to rest against my cheek. “But with all of that, honey, you need to tell him so he can show you that he is exactly the man he’s shown you he is, the kind who will stick by you when you need him.”

“But what if he’s not that guy? What if he finds out and decides he can’t handle it? What then?” I ask, voicing my biggest fear.

“I think you need to ask yourself what you will be missing out on if you don’t give him the chance to prove you wrong.” She leans back, and I pull my eyes from her and look out over the lake through the glass windows behind me. Even knowing she’s right, fear has my hands balling into fists. I want to cling to him; when he’s close, I find myself going to him without thought, but I don’t know if I can trust him. I don’t know if I trust myself right now.

“Sorry, ladies,” Sage says, and I swing my head around to find him standing in the open doorway with his eyes on me. “Can you come in for a sec? I need to talk to you.”

“Um… sure.” I start to stand, but my mom gets up, putting a hand to my shoulder to keep me down.

“I’m going to go check on the boys’ progress.” She gives my shoulder a squeeze before moving past Sage, who gives her a small smile as she pats him on the abs and moves past him into the house. Once she’s inside, he slides the door closed behind her and walks to where I am, taking a seat. Dropping his eyes to the floor, he runs his hands over his head in a move that screams he’s frustrated about something, and that puts me instantly on guard.

“Is everything okay?”

“I gotta leave town for a few days,” he says, turning to look at me. “Jax just called. He got a call on a skip, and I can’t afford to pass this one up. If I could, I wouldn’t take the job.”

My muscles relax, and I let out a quiet, relieved breath. “Please don’t worry about me,” I beg, reaching over and taking his hand. “I know you have to work. I’ll be fine.”

“Your parents are leaving tomorrow,” he reminds me quietly, and I nod.

“I know, and I have to get back to work, too. This…” I shake my head, trying to find the words to express how much everything he’s done has meant to me. “I really appreciate everything you’ve done, for letting me cry on your shoulder and giving my parents a place to stay. For being so cool around Chris… when he’s Chris and could annoy the Pope. I appreciate it all more than you know. You’ve been a really great friend,” I finish, and he studies me for a second before he shakes his head, leans forward, and places his mouth over mine. The kiss is deep, hard, wet, and over way too soon, so when he pulls his mouth away, my eyes are still closed and my hands are wound into his shirt to pull him back for more.

“There is nothing friendly about the things I want to do to you Kimberly,” he growls. My eyes pop open and I find his face an inch from mine. “We’re not friends, If you haven’t figured that out by now, I’ve still got work to do. It’s my job to take care of you. I didn’t do any of that shit out of kindness. I did it because I look out for mine. And make no mistake about it, baby, you are mine.”

And with that, he leans in, pressing his mouth to mine once more while untangling my hands from his shirt before he stands. “I gotta pack. I’ll be out to say goodbye to everyone before I go. You’re welcome to stay here as long as you want. I already put a key on your key ring.”

Sitting here blinking at his retreating back, I watch him go into the house, wondering what the hell just happened. A few minutes later, I still have no answer to that question when he reappears and kisses me goodbye.

Chapter 6

Kim

“HOW ARE YOU?” Ellie asks as we start to clean up our stations at the salon. From the moment we opened the doors to the shop this morning, we’ve been slammed with clients and walk-ins, so we haven’t had a chance to really talk.

“I’m all right,” I murmur, seeing the concern in her eyes. “It doesn’t feel real yet, you know?” I grab the broom and start to sweep the little bits of stray hair that have gotten away from us throughout the day.

“I know what you mean. When my brother and Bonnie died, it took a while for the reality of them being gone, really gone, to sink in. I guess it still kind of happens even now. There’s still days that I expect them to call or walk through the door,” she says, and I notice that her eyes are getting wet. “It gets easier to deal with the loss, but it never goes away.”