Page 39 of Serenity

“Smart choice. I wish everybody had a Mrs. Crabtree in their life.” He led me to the elevator with his hand at the small of my back. “Now that I think of it, I should pass her card along to Corey. I bet she could help him deal with the shit that happened with his parents. I probably should’ve done itweeksago.”

“Cut yourself some slack. It’s not like you haven’t been a good friend to him. And you’ve been dealing with your ownproblems.”

“True,” he conceded. “But I feel like I’m through the worst of it now. I’m finally coming to terms with the accident, my survivor’s guilt, and the decisions myparentsmade.”

“Does that mean today’s the day?” I asked after we were in the SUV and pulling out of the parkinggarage.

“Yeah, I thinkitis.”

I hadn’t been sure what to think when Dillon had told me Mrs. Crabtree’s suggestion a couple of weeks ago. She thought it would be beneficial to his progress if he visited Declan’s graveside and talked through everything with his twin. Dillon had been skeptical at first too—which was understandable since Declan was dead. It would be a one-sided conversation in a cemetery. It seemed way out there to me, but eventually Dillon had come around to Mrs. Crabtree’s way of thinking and said it might help. So I’d gotten one-hundred percent behind the idea, too. Which meant that when we parked on the winding road that ran through the cemetery and Dillon froze, I needed to help himthroughthis.

“I’m not sure this is such a great idea,” he murmured, staring out the window of his SUV towards the row of headstones and statues where Declan wasburied.

I reached over and grabbed his hand, tugging until he turned towards me. “You were sure before we got here. It’s just the nerves talking. Ignore them, get out of the car, and go tell Declan whatever it is you feel you need to saytohim.”

“You’re not going to let me get out of this,areyou?”

I shook myhead. “Nope.”

“I just had to fall for a tough girl,” he sighed before climbing out of the car. It hadn’t taken much prodding on my part, so I knew I’d done the right thing. He waited for me to get out and kept his hand on my lower back as we walked about fifty feet in before hestopped.

“Thisisit.”

My eyes filled with tears when I looked down at Declan’s grave and saw the bouquet resting against it. “Those flowers lookfresh.”

“Yeah, my mom comes once a week to tend to the grave. She makes sure everything looks okay, sits for a while, and brings a new bouquet each time.” He moved the flowers to the side a little and ran his fingers over the words and numbers engraved into the stone marker. “I never asked why they didn’t include his date of birth and death, only the years. I don’t think I ever even really noticed ituntilnow.”

“That’s understandable. You were grieving,honey.”

“My mom comes weekly. My dad at least once a month. But me? This is only my third time here. I came right after I was discharged from the hospital, and then again the first night I went to an underground poker game. But it was too hard to be here and know he was in the ground while I was walkingaround.”

“Andnow?”

“It isn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be. It still hurts like a motherfucker, but I’m not struggling with the guilt like I was back then.” He reached up and stroked my cheek. “Even knowing everything, I’m handling it better. Becauseofyou.”

“Not just because of me,” I disagreed. “You’re the one who put the work in. Talked to Mrs. Crabtree, and did what needed to be done to come to terms with something that would’ve destroyed mostpeople.”

“But I’m not most people.” He brushed his lips softly against mine. “I’m the manyoulove.”

I felt the tears as they slid down my cheeks. “Thatyouare.”

“I just wish Declan could’ve met you. Even ifonlyonce.”

“How about you introduce me now, and then I’ll leave you to say what needs to be said inprivate?”

It must have been the right thing to offer because Dillon gave me a grateful smile before turning towards the headstone onceagain.

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