Page 25 of Second Chance Serenity

“I probably scared Michael and Elijah half to death.”

“The whole neighborhood,” he replies with a nudge of my shoulder. “Besides, Michael deserves a few scares.”

“Fair enough. But Elijah?”

“Collateral damage,” he replies with a grin. “Are you okay?”

“I am. Better now.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“Just a nightmare,” I tell him. “About the parking lot.” I leave out the olive-green truck I’d been walking toward, as I try to understand just what Michael’s truck being there means. Probably nothing, possibly everything.

I take a deep breath, and Carter gets to his feet before pulling me to mine.

“Hey, I have an idea.” He brushes some hair behind my ear.

“What?”

“Come back to Boston with me. Kleo and I have a spare room, and the kids would love to hang out with Auntie Reyna for a little while.”

“School is starting soon,” I say. “I can’t leave. But I really appreciate the offer.”

“Reyna, a change of scenery might be good.”

“I’m okay, Carter. It was a nightmare, that’s all. I just—I need some time to get back to where I was, okay? Normalcy will do me good. I’m afraid if I start running, I’ll never stop.”

He clenches his jaw. “I just want you safe.”

“I know you do. Thank you.” I squeeze his arm gently, then step out of the bathroom and into the hall. Elijah is standing at a panel near the front door, but Michael is nowhere to be seen. And for the first time, I’m looking for him.

“He’s outside,” Elijah tells me without turning around. “Felt it was better to be out of the way.”

I look back at Carter.

“Go, I’ll make us some food,” he says.

“Just not soup.”

“Not soup,” he replies with a chuckle, and crosses into the kitchen.

After slipping my sandals on and grabbing a long cardigan from my closet, I head outside onto the front porch.

My house is situated on a cul-de-sac, three doors down from my parents’ house. With large trees lining everyone’s yards, it’s a beautiful place to be whenever the seasons change because it feels like you’re in a snow globe for spring, summer, fall, or winter.

This place has been my haven for as long as I can remember, and the fact that Michael’s parents still live directly across the street from my parents’ house only adds to my feeling of comfort. They were there for me when Michael left.

His mother was apologetic, offering to help however she could, but my relationship with his father changed forever. He’d once been like a second dad to me, but after Michael left, he grew distant. I always wondered if it wasn’t because he thought I drove his son away.

Michael sits on the porch steps, his back to me. My stomach in knots, I make my way over and take a seat beside him. “We used to sit out on your parents’ porch a lot,” he says.

“Drinking lemonade,” I add. “I remember.”

“I can’t forget,” he says. “I’ve tried so hard to forget everything. To move on, but I?—”

“You need to, though. I have.” The moment the words are out of my mouth, I want to kick myself for the blatant lie. Michael may not see it as one, but God certainly knows my heart. And He knows I’m still madly in love with the man beside me. Even if I struggle to admit it to myself most days.

“With Liam?”

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