Page 59 of The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever
His voice was a gravelly remnant of the cloudy memories Reed held. The man wiped his brow, and Reed’s gaze caught on the mangled skin on the back of his left hand and forearm, a map of angry scars. Reed’s stomach pitched at the hauntingly familiar sight of the burn. His phone rang, but he was laser focused on putting the fragmented pieces of his memories into place. They felt dark and ugly, causing ice to form around his heart.
“It’s me, Reed. Frank.” His pleading eyes begged for recognition. “Your father.”
Reed’s jaw clenched tight, his hands curled into fists. Anger roared up like a wild animal, and he was powerless to stop hurtful words from flying out through gritted teeth. “Roy Cross is my father.”
Frank looked at the box in his hands, and then his eyes shifted to the house. Reed didn’t want this man anywhere near his home or hislife. He didn’t want to feel the pity and longing battling against his anger, his burninghatred, for the man who had given him away like an old dog. Reed stepped closer to the curb, drawing Frank’s attention away from the house.
“I came a long way,” Frank said. “I thought we could talk.”
“Youcame a long way?” Reed scoffed and crossed his arms again, steeling himself against the hurt child trying to claw his way up from the depths of despair. He lifted his chin toward Frank’s car and said, “I suggest you turn around and head back the way you came.”
A painful expression climbed across Frank’s face. “I deserve that.” He held the shoe box in a shaky hand toward Reed. “I thought you might want a few of your mother’s things.”
Reed stared at the box, wanting desperately to have a connection to the mother he’d never known but felt that accepting the box might somehow let Frank in. He kept his arms crossed and said nothing.
Frank set the box on the sidewalk, like an uncapped grenade that might blow if handled incorrectly, and said, “I’m staying at the Marriott Courtyard at the edge of town until Monday. Room433, in case you change your mind.”
Reed stood stock-still, shoulders back, head held high as Frank limped to his car and drove away. Only after the sound of the car was long out of earshot did the air rush from Reed’s lungs, leaving him panting as his knees gave out, and he sank down to a squat, his mind too numb to think, his eyes locked on the box Frank left behind.
Chapter Nineteen
ON HER WAY home Tuesday night, Grace passed Roy’s truck as he drove away from the house. The house was dark, save for a light in the kitchen, where she found an old shoe box on the table. It was taped shut, and she wondered if Roy had brought something over. She set her messenger bag down.
“Reed?” she called out as she headed upstairs. Morgyn had finished the gifts she’d asked her to make, and she couldn’t wait to give Reed his.
As she walked through the master bedroom, she paused by the foot of the mattress, remembering the adoration in Reed’s eyes as they’d made love that morning. His sweet words—How will I make it through a single night without you in my arms?—had plagued her all day, making her warm with emotions and sad about their impending separation in equal measure. Once again, she braced herself for that reality, telling herself to treasure each day rather than ruing the end of them.
She headed out to the veranda, but there was no sign of Reed anywhere other than his truck in the driveway. Gazing out over the backyard, she caught his silhouette down by the creek.How romantic.She tugged off her high-heeled boots, skirt, and blouse, pulled on a pair of shorts and a hoodie, and put his gift in her pocket. She slipped her feet into a pair of flip-flops, feeling light as air after the amazing day she’d had. Nana and the others had come in to help her organize groups of volunteers and create callback lists so they could coordinate auditions and teams to work on different aspects of the play. There was no way they’d be able to pull it off before she left, even with a big group of volunteers, but it was coming together, and that was thrilling.
She hurried down the stairs and flew out the kitchen door and off the deck, humming the song “Stupid” by Levi Hummon. She wanted to bestupidwith Reed and do crazy-in-love silly things together without thinking about the ramifications. She sang a few words as she neared Reed. He was gazing out at the water, his knees pulled up, the crook of his elbows hooked around his knees, hands clasped. She put a hand on his shoulder, feeling his muscles tense beneath her fingers.
“Hey, handsome,” she said softly, and pressed a kiss to his cheek as she sat beside him in the grass. “I brought you something.”
He turned, and her heart sank at the tortured look in his eyes, the firm set of his jaw. His gift forgotten, she asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, babe.” He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, one hand on the back of her head, keeping her close. “I’m glad you’re home.”
“Sorry I was so late.” She wondered if that was the problem. It was nearly eight o’clock.
He pressed his lips to her cheek and said, “How did it go? I drove by, but there were so many people there, I didn’t come in.”
“It was amazing. We have volunteers for everything—set building, the cast, we even have the place worked out. The Jerichos were happy to let us use their barn, and there are a group of high schoolers who are apparently really great artists, who volunteered to put together posters and flyers. Morgyn came by, and she’s going to help with costumes, along with a group of Hellie’s friends and some high school girls. Lindsay came with Nana, and I swear those two are a powerhouse. You know how Nana loves to celebrate anything and everything. Lindsay is putting together a whole rebellious-Cinderella theme with decorations and food. It’s going to be amazing.”
One side of Reed’s lips tipped up, but it was a half-hearted smile. “Good, babe. I can’t wait to see it all come together.”
“Me too. Are you sure you’re okay? I’m sorry I was late, if that’s what’s bugging you.”
His hands slid to the nape of her neck, and he touched his forehead to hers. “No, babe,” he said softly. “I’m not sure I’m okay, and it has nothing to do with you or the time. I don’t mind that you worked late.”
“Then what is it? Did something happen? I saw Roy driving away. Are he and Ella okay?”
“They’re fine.” He pressed his lips to hers and sat back, gazing out at the water again. His hands curled into fists, and even in the moonlight she could see the muscles in his jaw bunching. “My…Frankshowed up here earlier.”
“Frank…?”
He looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, and the darkness of his stare brought understanding. Her mind reeled with a crazy mix of anxiety and hope. Reed had carried so much anger toward his father, it was no wonder he was acting strange.
“Frank, as in yourfather?”
