Page 82 of The Moment Promised

“I was a looker, wasn’t I?” Charlie’s voice startles me.

I almost drop the black and white photo, but I grip it before it slips out of my sweaty hands.

“Sorry!” I blurt out. “I wasn’t snooping. It’s this woman, she’s so pretty,” I say, my cheeks heating.

He lets out a gentle laugh. “That’s okay.”

I stare at the photo again, their toes in the sand and the beautiful ocean only a few feet behind them. I can’t make out the color, since it’s a black and white photo, but I can tell the water was clear that day. “Is this in the keys?” I ask, remembering his brief explanation of his time there.

“Yes.”

“Oh.” Is all I can say. This is the woman who broke his heart, and I should despise her for it…but I can’t help but feel something else toward her. I can’t place it, but I almost feel like I knew her once.

Maybe my emotions are getting the best of me.

“She looks?—”

“Beautiful,” he finishes for me.

“I was going to say young. You looked young too.”

“We were about your age,” he says.

I start to set it back down, trying to change the subject since I’m sure this is the last thing Charlie wants to talk about.

“We were in love.” He smiles easily. “I thought she was my soulmate. I’ve never made a connection like that since.” He shakes his head, taking the photo from my hands. “On a random Wednesday afternoon, she left. No explanation, only a sticky note saying goodbye.’”

“That’s it?”

“Yup.”

I can’t even begin to imagine how I would feel if I were in that situation, finding a sticky note in the place of Finn. “Have you ever thought about looking her up now?” I ask, maybe he needs closure.

“I searched for her for months, but she was gone. It’s the reason I moved here, actually. Without her, living down there was pointless. I’m more of a mountain guy anyway.” He shrugs. “I think it’s best if I don’t look her up now.”

I get it. “Do you regret it? Leaving, I mean.” Wondering if I’ve made a mistake leaving my problems at home, pushing away all the feelings Jason left me with... Running away.

Always running.

“I met Chloe’s mother shortly after I moved here. Of course, as you can tell…that didn’t work out either.” He smiles, probably thinking of his daughter. “I wouldn’t have changed a thing.” He places the photo back in my hands. “Take it,” he tells me.

“Oh…I couldn’t.”

“It’s not doing much good here besides collecting dust. It’s probably time I get rid of it, don’t you think? Throw it away or tuck it into a drawer for all I care. Plus, I hear you’re headed for the hills. Consider it a souvenir. A photo of me in my prime.” He smiles, but his eyes glass over like mine do.

“Thank you foreverything.” I choke out the words. The last one holding so much more meaning than he could possibly know.

He wraps his arms around me, entrapping me in a safe hug. “You are family now. Please don’t be a stranger.”

“I won’t,” I whisper.

“Do what you feel is right,” Finn whispers against my hair. The color no doubt a bright shade of red reflected off the sun that’s about to set.

Golden hour has been my favorite time to sit on Charlie’s roof these past three weeks. It overlooks the peaceful streets of Authensville, the place I’ve called home for not long enough.

I consider his words. What do I feel is right? None of this is right. Jason at my house sitting on my furniture. I don’t even want to begin to imagine what he’s said to my mom… What he’sdone. “Right or not, I have to go home. My mom isn’t safe as long as Jason is around.”

No matter how messy our two-person family is, it’s perfect I realize. It’s been perfect all along. Sure, it isn’t the most conventional, but is any family really? The love we have for one another lays the foundation, now all we have to do is put up walls.

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