Page 145 of Honeysuckle
I chuckled under my breath.
“You call, I’ll be there,” Silas said. "Simple as that.”
“I think I can handle that,” I agreed, and Silas turned to look at me again.
“Good,” he hummed. "Now let’s dig a hole.” He pushed off the dock and started toward the other end.
I turned back to the lake for a moment, letting the colors of the sun sink in. But it wasn’t my mom I was saying goodbye to as my heart started to repair itself in my chest. It was me, the old, angry me, that couldn’t fathom being loved by anyone, let alone myself.
He was gone.
I looked over my shoulder to see Silas waiting at the end of the dock for me. There was still so much work to be done, my mind was still at war with its memories, but for the first time in forever, I felt like I could win the bloody battle that I’d never asked to be a part of.
Dean had been right from the start, I was born with the capacity to love. I just kept getting in my own way. And when I finally stopped arguing with myself, it flooded in like a tidal wave and filled every dark spot left inside of me with bright white light.
Capable of being loved, and capable of loving.
EPILOGUE
TUCKER
“Thathandsomebastardowesme a polar dip,” Cael muttered, trailing Van down the stairs.
“He’s going to flip out,” I warned, looking at them.
“I’m counting on it.” Cael grinned like an idiot and bolted the second his feet hit the ground.
“It’s his nose that has broken.” Van shrugged. "You know the rules.”
“Really?” I backed away with my hands up in surrender. "Do we have to?”
“First in the lake,Captain.” Arlo stepped off the bus in his sleeveless shirt with a wicked grin on his face.
I took another step back and he inched forward as Ella came down off the bus, watching everything transpire between us. It was a warm enough day out, and the temperature of the lake was what worried me. It was how much they let ride on the stupid superstition.
“You’ve been waiting a long time for this, haven’t you?” I asked him, looking for my outs and backing straight into Van. His hands came down on my shoulders and gripped them tightly.
“Three. Fucking. Years,” Arlo said, savoring each word like a kid on Christmas morning.
“Can’t you wait just like—” I took off running in the opposite direction, but I wasn’t fast enough, and Silas was waiting like they had seen my escape plan ahead of time and accounted for it.
“No running, Tucker,” he warned.
“Oh come on, Doc,” I lowered my voice. "I’m not above bribery?”
“Ah,” Silas smirked, his eyebrow raising in amusement. "But I am, you better run…”
“You look like a terrified calf, Tucker!” Jensen laughed, standing with Todd on the deck, blocking my way into the cabin. I was being corralled like an animal.
“Oh, I see,” I hollered out. "I’m too fuck big for any of you to pick up so I’m being wrangled!”
Arlo barked out a laugh. "Golden boy’s not as dumb as he looks!”
“You’re going in the lake, Tucker,” Van said, blocking the path to the other side of the property, down by the field. “One way or another,” he smiled, putting his arms over his chest.
“It’ll take all five of you, and you’re going to need Cael!” I challenged them.
“Three, and Cael’s busy,” Arlo said, coming up behind me by surprise, he hooked his arms under me and put me in a headlock. His biceps pressed against my jaw and kept me snug to his chest despite trying to muscle my way out of the hold. Arlo tutted as Van encroached and grabbed my legs, and Silas swooped in to help.
