Wild Side (Rose Hill, #3)(107)

Home.

I pull away only to tease her. “No. My Tabby Cat isn’t sweet. She’s spicy. Sometimes even salty.”

Her arms wrap around my neck, and she sticks her bottom lip out dramatically. “The only thing I’m salty about is that Cleo loves you so much more than me when you”—her fingers lift in air quotes—“hate cats.”

I shift to look over Tabitha’s shoulder. “Don’t listen to her, Cleo. I love cats.”

I hear Tabitha let out an amused scoff, but something on the table catches my eye. Milo’s monitor sits dead center, along with a legal-size manila envelope beside it.

“What’s in the envelope?” I ask, leaning back to meet her gaze.

Her head joggles as though she’s searching for an explanation. “An idea.”

My forehead scrunches as I hug her close and reach forward for it, curiosity getting the best of me.

She doesn’t stop me when I open the envelope right between us and reach inside.

“If you don’t like the idea, that’s okay.”

All I feel is paper.

“Like, I don’t want to offend you in any way. I just…”

She rambles on as I pull the sheets out. Her voice fades away as I soak up the words on the page. Terms like legal name change and name of a spouse pop out.

“What is this?” My hands shake.

“I thought maybe you’d want to be a Garrison. You, me, and Milo? So presumptuous of me. I just hate knowing you don’t like your last name. Feeling like we’re all together might be nice? I don’t know. Maybe I’m out to lunch. If you don’t want—”

Rhys Garrison.

I don’t let her say anything more. With the papers crinkling between us, I lean forward and kiss her, my hand at the back of her head. It’s firm and desperate. It ends with our foreheads resting together and my whispered words lingering between us.

“Yes, please.”





CHAPTER 49


Tabitha





THE ROSEBUSHES ARE BUDDING IN MY FAVORITE SPOT, AND that summer feeling in the mountains makes everything feel warm and hazy. The sun beats down on my skin, and Milo’s laughter as he and Rhys run down the hill is music to my ears.

I watch as Rhys scoops him up and twirls him, rubbing his beard against the side of his neck until the little boy squeals. His movements are sure and powerful, his recovery nothing short of a miracle.

He’s back in the ring, doing what he loves. He comes home often, also to do what he loves. Which is being with us.

Everything between us is so…easy. That uphill climb has made the flatland stroll an absolute dream. We walk hand in hand, knowing that there isn’t much life can throw our way that we won’t be able to tackle together.

I’ve never felt more secure in my life than I do knowing that Rhys is here now, and that even when he’s not, he’ll always come back.

I’m propped on my hands, legs outstretched before me, the old sleeping bag laid flat beneath me as I admire them.

My sister’s urn is at my side.

“You know what I’ve learned through this all, sissy?”

She doesn’t respond, because why the hell would she?

“Life is all just shades of gray. People are shades of gray. You. Me. Rhys. Mom and Dad. No one is perfect. I think Milo might be pure light. For now, anyway. But I’m sure he’ll disappoint me one day.” I snort. “After all, he’s related to us. And god knows you and I aren’t perfect. But you know what? That’s okay. That’s just…being human. I don’t think I’ve ever known someone more unapologetically human than you. You did some bad shit, but you did some really incredible shit too. You left me…”

I turn and lift the brass container, watching the sun spark off the metallic finish. “But look what you left me with.” Milo is mauling Rhys. Now that he’s more aware of what Rhys does for work, he likes to try his hand at wrestling with him when he’s home. There’s zero polish to his attacks, but joy lines his every movement. “Look at them.” My voice cracks. “I wish you could see them. And maybe you can. I hope you can. I know that for all our complicated feelings about each other…I know seeing this would have made you happy. I only ever wanted you to be happy.”

I swipe a tear off my cheek. The ache of missing my sister is no less sharp, but now I can cry happy tears over her rather than just sad ones.

“I don’t think you’d be pleased about sitting on my shelf in a jar. It just doesn’t feel very… you. I think here—on the wild side of the mountain—might be where you belong.”

I twist the lid, swallowing as it loosens. I reach in, feeling the fine ash slip through my fingers. And I smile as I watch my sister’s ashes dance across the wind.

When I inhale, it feels like my lungs are filling with more air than I’ve breathed in years. It feels like here, Erika can be safe and free and with us all at once. I do it alone, because it feels like I need to. And when the urn is empty, all I want are my boys.

When I look down toward them, Rhys is already watching me. Because of course he is. His eyes are always on me. He’s always supporting me—quietly, gently. In that way of his that feels like a warm blanket wrapped around me on a cold day.

When I hit him with a watery smile, his head tilts. I can see the question in his eyes. He knows I needed that moment with my sister. I needed that closure. I didn’t need an audience, but he still managed to be here for me. Like he always is.