I hated that I was watching from the other side of the street instead of holding her up and giving her strength to get through this day. That should have been my job, and I’d totally fucked it up.

I sat in a black sedan outside the church for hours, waiting for my chance. Finally, I spotted a girl with brown hair slipping out the side door. Whitney’s cousin.

She was lighting up a joint when I got to her.

“Cricket, right?”

She looked up at me in surprise before giving me a short nod in response.

“Can you do me a massive favor?”

Her gaze narrowed. “What do you want?”

“I need you to give something to Whitney.”

“Oh, really? Like what?” She flicked the ash off the end of the joint as I pulled the letter out of my pocket and held it out.

“Just . . . please give it to her. I need to see her. I have to talk to her. I swear to Christ I’ll leave her alone if she tells me to herself.”

Whitney’s cousin studied me and took a drag before puffing the smoke in my face. A moment later, she reached out and snatched the letter from me. “Fine. But don’t expect her to want to see you. She’s already cozied up to Ricky like they were never apart.”

“He doesn’t fucking deserve her, and you know it.”

Her shoulders dipped in a shrug. “I don’t think you’re the one who gets to make that choice.”

The judgment in her eyes made me want to snatch the letter back, but it was too late. She shoved it in her purse.

“You should get out of here before Asa comes out. From what I heard, he’s not your biggest fan.”

“Just give her the letter.”

She nodded, and I headed back to the car to watch the entire funeral procession leave the church, hoping for one more glimpse of Whitney.

Thirty-Four

Lincoln

I didn’t know if she was coming. My watch showed that it was already fifteen minutes past the time I’d written in the note. I glanced out the window of the cabin again, and headlights cut through the darkness.

Thank fuck. She’s coming.

As tires crunched gravel in the driveway, I hurried toward the door, pulling it open and rushing toward the car. I was two feet away when the driver’s door flew open.

It’s not Whitney.

“I told you to stay the fuck away from my sister.” Asa Gable climbed out, his fists clenched and jaw set. Ricky Rango’s head popped out of the passenger side.

She got my letter and instead of coming herself . . . she told her brother and her boyfriend. All the hope I’d been holding on to shattered. She doesn’t want to see me again.

My teeth clenched and my entire body tensed as I accepted the truth.

“If she didn’t want to come, she could’ve just ignored the letter. She didn’t need to send you in her place. I would’ve gotten the message either way.” I kept my tone flat, even though I felt like I was being shredded from the inside out.