“Yeah. I’ve put off all my errands lately. I haven’t even gotten my mail in days.” She leaned over and kissed the top of Carly’s head. “You’re doing great. She’s great.”

Wyatt had his hand on the front doorknob already. “I’ll walk you out.”

She stole one last glance at Bethany before following Wyatt out into the cold. “You don’t have to walk me a whole twenty-five feet. It’s freezing out here.”

“Are you okay?” Wyatt said the moment the door closed behind them.

Jax had flashbacks of the past few months and chuckled. “I’ve been better—that’s for sure.”

“With the name.”

She looked him in the eyes. Wyatt had always been her one constant, and she was lucky to still have him in her life. “I can’t think of a better way to honor Aurora.” She patted his arm.

“Do you think Gretchen will be okay with it?”

“Without a doubt. I’ll tell her the next time I see her. It’ll give us something to talk about instead of fighting.”

“So you two are really over?”

Jax didn’t want to give verbal confirmation of a truth she hated so much. She nodded. “Thanks for the beer—I owe you one.” She started to walk away.

“I’m holding you to it.”

“I’ll be back soon to snatch up that baby.”

“I’m holding you to that, too.”

Jax got in her truck and started the ignition. Her heart was heavy, but her smile was genuine.

* * *

Jax carried seven grocery bags in her hands, refusing to make two trips out to her truck. Her refrigerator was empty, and she needed to fill it up again. She struggled to get her key in the lock of the main building door and grunted as she pushed it open. Just inside the small entryway was a wall of mailboxes. She glanced at her box twice, debating putting the effort into checking for mail. She looked down at her shaking fists, each fingertip a different shade of purple or white. She walked slowly to the elevator and used her elbow to hit every button near her floor.

After three unnecessary stops, she made it to her floor and into her own apartment. She raced to her couch to set the bags down and yelped in pain as she released her fists. “Son of a bitch.” She shook her hands out and kicked the door shut. She barely paid any attention as she put the food away, acting more robotically with each step back and forth in her small kitchen.