Page 138 of Hold Me Before You Go

“It will take a while, but once we I.D. the bodies, we’ll begin reaching out to the family members, just like you asked, Carrie,” the agent said quietly, sadness lacing his voice. “I promise.”

A small whimper left her, followed by a sniffle.

Fuck, she was crying—again.

“Thank you, James,” she pushed out.

Later that night. Astoria, OR.

“Be good,” I whispered to Tic-Tac before I took another look at Carrie, who was sound asleep on the couch, her favorite strawberry blanket wrapped around her. The orange fluff was stretched out on the back of the cushion behind her head. He blinked up at me before stretching his paws.

My lips twitched, and I grabbed my phone off the coffee table, leaving the movie credits rolling as I walked through the kitchen,heading out to the screened-in deck. I dialed the number and put the phone to my ear, listening to it ring.

“I was beginning to think you wouldn’t call,” a rough voice answered.

I looked out into the night, the warm lights of Astoria giving me a glimpse of the water as it bounced off the waves. “Sorry it’s so late,” I returned, knowing what day it was.

The tenth of June.

Mags chuckled. “Stop apologizing and tell me you grew some balls.”

I shook my head, smiling. “Yeah, Mags. I grew some fucking balls.”

I could hear the happiness in his voice as he asked, “Did she like the ring?”

“Fucking loves it,” I murmured.

“So, when’s the wedding?”

“Hell, I’d marry her tomorrow if she’d let me.”

“I know you would,” he replied before adding, “Congratulations.”

“She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” I confessed.

“I know that’s right because I sure as fuck wasn’t,” he chuckled, causing me to laugh.

“That’s not what I fucking meant, dipshit.”

I spent the next few minutes talking to my best friend about his life, asking him about the ranch, and then finally, about his mental health. “You doing okay?”

“Mhm,” he hummed. “Work’s good, the ranch is good. I’m good.”

There was a voice in the back of my mind that disagreed, but I kept quiet.

“Did you tell your mom?” Mags asked, changing the subject.

“Yeah, I called her when I bought the ring three months ago.”

Once I could walk, I flew my mom out to Astoria so she could meet Carrie. The two of them hit it off, and the three of us spent the weekend together. It was one of the most healing experiences of my life.

“How’s therapy?”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m supposed to be the one checking on you, fucker.”

“And I said I’m good, asshole,” he shot back, his voice light. “Now, answer my damn question.”

“It’s going well, better than I expected. I’m going bi-weekly now,” I told him.

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