Page 132 of Kept in the Dark

Hailey smiled. “You better go, then. She’s not very patient.”

“I wonder where she gets it from,” Sara quipped.

Hailey rolled her eyes. “From her father, obviously.”

Trey winked at Hailey as he waited for Genevieve to walk back over to him and Trinity.

“I better go. I’ve got wedding planning to do,” Hailey said.

Sara nodded but before Hailey walked away, she said, “Hailey…”

Hailey turned around and looked at Sara.

“Thanks…for having my back.”

Hailey smiled. “Always.”

Sara squeezed Hailey’s hand for a brief moment before Hailey walked away. Sara turned around to see Gavin walking toward her.

He said, “I tried to keep busy talking to people while you were with Hailey. It looked like a serious conversation.”

Sara shrugged. “Just sister stuff.”

“Is everything okay?”

“For once, yes.”

He took her hand and led her to the truck. “Let’s go grab some dinner.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to go be with Carter’s family?”

“Momma A. blatantly told me life is too short and I better not screw this up with you.” He chuckled. “Obviously, she’s devastated that Carter is gone, but she also knows life doesn’t stop and we should live it to the fullest…at least that’s the gist of what she said.”

Sara smiled. “Well, then let’s go live a little- in memory of Carter.”

He kissed her and she opened the door to the truck. As he walked to the driver’s side, a flock of birds flew across the sky as the sun’s rays beamed down on her. She closed her eyes and took in a breath.

Freedom.

Except this time, she had everything to lose. And that was somehow far more liberating.

And with that, she climbed into the truck.

Hailey kicked off her shoes near the front door. It wasn’t until she sat on the couch that she realized how much her feet ached from the heels she’d been wearing all evening.

The funeral had been beautiful, but she couldn’t help but feel such anger about the injustice of it all. Even her father wasn’t going to be charged since he wouldn’t be alive much longer. Hailey still wasn’t sure how she felt about that, nor did she think she would ever be able to make sense of the conflicting emotions she felt toward the man.

But at least she knew the truth.

Hailey sighed as Trey extended a hand to her. She placed her hand in his and he gently pulled her to her feet. She groaned. “My feet are killing me.”

He laughed. “You’ll be fine. Come on.”

He led her to the front porch where he stood behind her near the railing, his arms wrapped around her waist. The setting sun painted the sky beautiful shades of pink, orange, and purple. The same sunset they’d watched together as love-struck teenagers.

Life had changed so much in such a short amount of time.

She was finally home with Trey, watching the sunset with him while their daughter baked cookies at a friend’s house.

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