Page 138 of Forgiving Fate

“It’s okay to say that you miss them, Lo.”

She avoids my gaze, nods, and stares out the window at the water. I allow her to have a moment of peace before Harrison returns because I’m sure they’ll come up again today. Landon stayed up with me for two hours after I had a panic attack, which ended in an emergency meeting with Dr. Kim to prepare me for the hard conversations that are bound to come up today.

“Sorry ladies, the line was almost out the door. This place must be popular!” Harrison exclaims while passing out our coffees and taking a seat on the open chair.

“Thank you. Caffeine is much needed right now,” Lo says, taking a large sip of her steaming coffee and sinking into the chair.

“That’s right! You work around here, right?” Harrison asks, draping his gray coat over his legs. “Sorry, it’s freezing here compared to Florida.”

“Yep. Over at Mount Rainier Medical Center in the ER. I don’t think my body is used to being back yet, even though it’s been a few months.”

“Oh my gosh! Did you have a baby?!” Harrison exclaims.

Logan snorts coffee out her nose and I can’t contain my laughter.

“Hell no! I mean one day, yes, but now is not the right time. I want to look hot as hell in my dress at my wedding and to do that, I need to finish my sleeve.”

“Oh, that’s right. You really need to get on social media so I can keep up.”

“I have one. I just haven’t made it public. Old habits.”

“Well, I’m dying to hear about the man that swept the always secretive Logan Sawyer off her feet,” Harrison says over the rim of his mug.

Grabbing her phone from her lap, Logan taps the screen and shows Harrison her home screen. A picture of her, Gray, and Willow are standing near their infamous waterfall.

Harrison’s eyes go wide. “Damn girl. Is that what has been hiding up here all this time? I should have come sooner. I want a mountain man with a beard and tattoos that I can climb like a tree.”

We all laugh and Logan drops her phone back in her lap and nods towards me as she says, “Maybe Al will share. She’s dating Grayson’s older brother.”

I narrow my eyes at her, and she winks at me.Brat.

I am just about to say something when Harrison’s head snaps towards me. “What?! Since when!”

“It’s complicated.”

Harrison gives me a questioning look. “Al. I haven’t seen you in so long. Tell me everything.”

Sighing, I rest my coffee on the arm of the chair and show Harrison the photo of Landon on my home screen, since I know he is going to ask.

“Damn. I really need to make the move official. Any chance they have another brother that swings my way?”

“Wes is straight but terrifying and hasn’t dated anyone for years. Pretty sure he is celibate. But then there is Noah, and that boy is a wild card. He loves anyone and everyone.”

“Hmm. Good to know. Anyway, Miss Al. Explain.”

“You already know what happened with Mom and Dad, so I won’t get into that.”

He doesn’t and he will never know because if I can protect someone else from feeling the level of pain I did, I will.

“But some stuff happened before they died. I moved up here to be close to Logan, then met Landon. It was a rough road to healing, but along the way, Landon and I became friends. Long story short, it all blew up in our faces. I went to rehab for a bit to learn how to stand alone again and he had some things to take care of as well. We didn’t see each other for about six months and then had to decide if we were better as friends or try it asa couple. And who could resist a man in tattoos, who saves two void kittens, so here we are.”

Harrison stares at me, wide eyed.

“Told you it was complicated,” I say, taking a sip of my coffee.

“It certainly sounds like it.”

We all sit in a comfortable silence until Harrison looks to me with tears in his eyes. “Um. I really don’t want to ask and I can’t even imagine what the past year has been like, but is there a place of memorial for them? I would love to pay my respects.”

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