Page 192 of Come Break My Heart Again

Silently, we linger for a few minutes longer, then head back toward the cars without saying anything else.

Ryder and I say somber goodbyes to Cormac, then get back on the road.

“You’re sure about tonight?” I ask. “I can still cancel.”

“I’m sure, Elle. I’m fine.”

I’m not sure he is, but I know arguing about it won’t help. I’m mourning Nina myself, but I’m also concerned about how Ryder is handling losing his mom. He knew it was coming, but I don’t think that helps at all. It might be worse, honestly. He mourned her dying, and now, he’s grieving her death.

We stop by my brownstone so I can change and to pick up Scout, then continue toward Fernwood.

My parents are out in front of the house, standing by the stone fountain, when we pull into the driveway. I frown as I climb out of the car. Scout sneaks out, rushing off to sniff as much of the yard as he can.

“Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad. What’s, uh, what’s going on?”

“Get back in the car,” my mom tells me.

“What?”

“Get back in the car,” she repeats. “We have something to show you.” She glances at Ryder. “To show both of you.”

“Um, okay.”

I whistle for Scout. He bounds over, but is much less thrilled about getting back in the car. Finally, I manage to wrangle him, then climb in myself.

“This is weird,” I tell Ryder, buckling my seat belt. “Right?”

“Your parents do weird stuff. Remember the last time we were over, your mom had bought an outdoor pizza oven just because I’d mentioned it was my favorite food the time before?”

“Yeah, but that was at their house at least.”

“Maybe they’re taking us out to dinner.”

“Then I should have left Scout at their house! He hates getting stuck in the car.”

Ryder sighs. “If we are going to a restaurant, I’ll drop you off and then drive him back to their house, okay?”

“I don’t think we’re going to a restaurant,” I say, peering out the window.

My dad’s car is headed in the opposite direction from downtown, deeper into the nearby neighborhoods.

Five minutes later, his sedan stops in front of the old Warren house.

“Okay,” Ryder says. “Thisisweird.”

“They know you work for Tucker’s construction company. Maybe they found out you’d worked on this property? Wanted to see it?”

“I don’t have the keys anymore. It sold. We can’t go inside.”

I step out of the car. My parents are already waiting, standing on the sidewalk.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

My mom points toward the house. “Welcome home!”

I stop mid-stride, my gaze bouncing between her finger and the house. “What?”

“We know you both have your own places. You don’t need to move in right away. But it’s so rare that anything comes on the market around here, and this was such a beautiful renovation. I couldn’t resist.”

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