“I doubt I’ll ever forget, Lex.” She drew in a long breath as if building up courage. “But I want you to be happy. You love him… still.”

As I went to interrupt, she hushed me with a raised hand. “You’ve been living for Austin since his birth, and there’s nothing wrong with that. You’re great with him. But you are more than a mother, Lex. You deserve to carve out some happiness just for yourself as well. And despite your stubbornness and reluctance to see the truth, Owen is your happiness. Ever since he re-entered your life, I’ve seen a light switch back on inside you. The way you talk about him, the way you act and the life you’re now living in Acacia Falls. You’re so in love with him, and I’m so happy and sad for you.”

“Why sad?”

“Because I can see what it’s doing to you. It’s tearing you apart.”

“I’m scared,” I whimpered, on the verge of tears.

Alicia squeezed my shoulder. “Any sane person would be. But I don’t want you to have a future with any regrets. Now, whether that future includes him or not is up to you. But either way, you have to stop running, Lex.”

“I know.” I chuckled. “You’re like my therapist.”

“Should I bill you?”

“I couldn’t afford your fee.”

“Damn right,” Alicia said before groaning. “God, I’d kill for a coffee and greasy brekkie though.”

I snickered at her not-so-subtle hint. “My shout.”

Alicia mumbled a sneaky “thanks” before we got ready and rolled out the door.

I tackled the rest of the morning with a new sense of optimism. I didn’t want to be apart from him anymore. It was time to fight.

If only I had prepared for the right opponent.

Chapter 29

ALEXIS

We sat in the darkest, loneliest corner of our favourite café, secluded from the fully functioning adults of society.

Alicia sunk low, wearing a heavy set of sunglasses and a large sun hat pulled low over her face. She nursed her sad cup of water, stone-faced and unimpressed that we had to wait longer than five minutes to get our coffees.

I opened my phone to message my parents and check on Austin, and a hint of disappointment hummed when I found nothing from Owen.

That’s when I heard an audible gasp, and my name sputtered in disbelief.

I wished I hadn’t heard it, wished I ignored the whole thing, but my eyes had already raised to the source in reaction to the call.

Before me stood Everly, her face raised in a hopeful expression. She was wearing generic office clothes and she had aged a bit… But that could have been my imagination, wanting it so.

I stared straight through her as if she was an unwanted apparition that would disappear at any moment—a hopeful wish at best.