Page 129 of The Lair

Without my parents’ questionable choices, I would’ve never gotten Jada and Paul.

I would’ve never gone to Maine or met Charlie, Sandra, or Jude, and I wouldn’t have worked at The Lair.

I wouldn’t have fallen in love with Travis.

And most importantly, I wouldn’t have found my voice. My authenticvoice.

Good luck, world, trying to silence me again.

Chapter Forty-Two

Clouds coat the Bannport sky,threatening rain, as I shut the cab door behind me.

The streets are quiet. Nobody knows I’m here, standing in front of The Lair. Not even Travis, because I wanted this to be a surprise. A part of me was and still is afraid of his reaction when he sees me. He did say he’d always be there for me, but what if?—

No.

I’m here because Iwantto be. I can’t control how he’s going to react to me. What Charlie, Sandra, Jude, and everyone else in this town will say when they see Allison Buccieri.

I spoke my truth. This is who I am. This is what happened to me. If people have an opinion on it, it has nothing to do with me. And honestly? Even attemptingto control the narrative sounds exhausting.

Life is uncertain, but I’ve learned to find the beauty in the unplanned. To appreciate the puzzle pieces falling into place at their own rhythm without having to force them to fit.

With that thought in mind, I push the door open and instantly revel in the familiar voices that filter through it.

“I’m telling you, boss. This is my best idea yet.”

Charlie’s words are followed by an unmistakable grunt. “I’ve heard this before.”

“A pool tournament will bring us new customers,” Charlie argues. “People my age too. You know, a new kind of crowd.”

“We don’t need new customers,” Travis argues back.

They’re standing near the kitchen at the back. Neither has noticed me.

“I know we don’tneedthem, but it’d still be good for business. I’ll organize everything. You won’t have to lift a finger.”

“Sounds good to me,” Jude says. Is Sandra in there somewhere too?

Their shift has already ended, so the bar is empty when I walk in. Holding my breath—not that I can breathe that well in the first place—my voice doesn’t shake when I say, “Hey, guys.”

Everything stops as the three men in front of me turn their heads.

Jude gapes.

Charlie blinks.

And Travis…

Travis smiles. A devastating, beautiful smile I want to see every day for the rest of my life.

“Holy fucking shit,” Charlie breathes out.

Before I know it, he’s wrapping his arms around me in a sealing hug. Not even a second later, my feet leave the sticky floor as he spins me around.

“You’re really here. Holy fucking fuck,” he says as he sets me back down, only to stare at me with a mixture of amazement and breathlessness.

“I am here,” I confirm, my smile still in place becausethisis where I want to be. Where my heart has begged me to come back to.

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