Page 123 of Everlasting Promises

“I think he’d want us with him. He really loves us.” I’m so glad Evan can see how much Ben cares for the both of us. “We’re more important to him than being a cop.”

I nod. “We are.”

He’s quiet again for several moments, and I’m unsure what he’s thinking. Then his eyebrows drop over his eyes, and he steals my breath. He looks just like Wyatt did when he was making an important decision. “But will we be leaving Dad behind if we move out of our house?”

His words wrap around my heart like a fist, squeezing tightly. I never want to leave Wyatt behind, and Ben understands that. Wyatt is incredibly important to both Evan and me. But I’ve thought about this, and I don’t think it’s fair to ask Ben to move into our house with Wyatt’s ghost. I also want a fresh start with Ben without the shadows of our life from before surrounding us.

I swallow past the tears that desperately want to flow and move to Evan’s side of the booth, wrapping my arm around his shoulder. Like this, we’re eye to eye. I squeeze his arm and study his face, especially his warm brown eyes, which are so much like his dad’s.

When did he grow up?

I suck in a deep breath for courage and place my hand over his heart. “You know, no matter where we are, your dad will always be in here.” I move my hand to his head. “And here. I know I wasn’t able to talk about him with you for a long time, but I promise I won’t let you forget.”

He’s quiet again, and I can almost see the cogs turning in his head. “But that’s where Dad taught me to ride my bike and where he used to measure how much I’d grown on my bedroom doorframe. And Shane built you those bookshelves.”

It’s my turn to be quiet with my thoughts.Am I being selfish? Maybe I should put my wish for a fresh start aside and ask Ben to move in with us? Would he want to leave behind the home gifted to him by Tahlia’s mom? It’s special to him.

“But then … Ben’s houseisclose to the beach, and I like that. It means I could surf on the weekends like Dad used to, and you wouldn’t have to drive me or find parking. And maybe it wouldn’t be fair to expect Rex to move house when he loves running along the beach every day.” He chews on another fry thoughtfully and narrows his eyes. “Do you think we could take my doorframe with us?” He shrugs. “Cuz that’s really special to me.” My lungs constrict, making it difficult to take a breath as he sucks his shake through his straw. “And do you think Ben would let us put up photos of Dad?”

This kid is trying to kill me, I’m certain of it.

“I can ask Shane how hard it would be to switch out the timber of the doorframe. I don’t think we’d need the entireframe, just the part that has your measurements on it in Dad’s writing.”

He nods. “Yeah, that’d work.”

I grin. “And we have that video on the laptop of you learning to ride your bike with Dad, which you can watch any time you like.” I smooth my hand over the top of his hair. “I also think Ben would encourage us to have photos of Dad on display. I really don’t think that’s something we need to worry about.”

His shoulders drop from around his ears and he grins at me. “I have an idea.”

My eyebrows shoot up. “Oh, yeah?”

“I think we should pack some of our things and turn up at his house with our bags and a birthday cake. Maybe balloons or something. Oh, and party hats.” His voice rises with excitement, and I can’t stop my lips from spreading wide.

“I love that idea. I think it’s the perfect way to wish Ben happy birthday.”

As we leave the diner, Evan bumps his shoulder into me. “You know what this means?” he asks, excitement brightening his face.

I widen my eyes. “What does what mean?”

“When we move in with Ben, it means I’ll finally have a dog!” he almost shouts, his eyes alight with pure happiness. My heart expands at his joy.

I chuckle and muss his hair. Wrapping my arm around his neck, I pull him close and kiss the top of his head. “I guess it does.”

“Finally!” he sighs.

58

BEN

Rex sprawlsout on the living room floor between Seb and me as we enjoy a cold beer to celebrate my birthday. His eyebrows rise and fall as his eyes move between us. The stark white bandage on his shoulder is due to be changed in a couple of hours, and I need to clean his cone. He sighs loudly as Seb taps the neck of his bottle against mine. “Happy birthday, old man,” he says with a snicker.

I chuckle with my lips around the opening of my beer. “Oh yeah, a whole nine days older than you.”

He shrugs. “Still older.”

I take a drink, savoring the slide of the cool liquid down my throat—a sigh escapes unbidden, like a natural reflex, whenever I enjoy a cold brew. It’s been a huge week.

Even though I’ve had time off work, I had to go in on Monday to hand in my resignation. It’ll take about a month for it to be finalized, which gives me some time to work out my next steps. Nix has already offered me a job, but I’m considering the idea oflearning how to train service dogs. I’m not sure, but maybe I can balance both.

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