Disdain for a man I’ve never met courses through me. “How could he walk out on them? I’ve only just met them and I want to be around them as much as I can.”
Presley’s eyes glisten in the sunlight as she keeps her gaze on the field. “Not everyone has as big of a heart as you do.”
“Tell me what happened to Avery’s eye.”
She blows out a long breath before she speaks. “He’s getting bullied at school.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “He got beat up?”
She nods. “Chance came by the other day and gave him some pointers on defending himself, but I don’t know what else to do.”
“Are these kids getting expelled? What is the school doing about it?”
“The principal is letting Avery skip gym and take an extra art class instead. But Avery is worried that the kids will retaliate if he snitches.”
“They could. But that doesn’t mean we do nothing about this and let him get his ass beat.” I reach into my pocket and pull out my phone. “I can get better security at the school. Or maybe he can go to a private school, one where he can focus more on art.”
Presley covers my phone with her hand. “Stephen, no. I can’t let you do any of that.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t want Avery to think that he should run away from his problems. I hate that he’s getting hurt, and hopefully the principal will be able to put a stop to it, but he needs to learn how to overcome problems like this in life.”
I let out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t like that plan.”
“Me either.” A humorless laugh escapes her. “I don’t know what the hell I’m doing here. I’m so far out of my depth.”
“Hey, you’re doing a fantastic job with these kids.” I rest my hand against her thigh and squeeze. “They’re so lucky to have you, Pres. And I’m lucky to have you back in my life again.”
She chews on her bottom lip as she lifts her eyes to mine. “What iffriendsis the only capacity I can be in your life?”
It’s not, but I’ll play along. “Then I’m going to be the best friend you’ve ever had.”
She smiles, relief smoothing out her features, as if she was worried that I wouldn’t want her any way I could have her.
Presley assumes that because of her new lifestyle as a guardian, as an elementary school librarian living in suburbia, she can’t also have the kind of relationship that the three of us once had.
But that’s where she’s wrong.
This loneliness inside of me has been there since I lost two of the most important people in my life. I haven’t been able to find anyone who makes me feel the way it felt to be in love with Chance and Presley.
With Presley back in the picture, maybe the three of us can have a second chance.
And maybe it could be forever.
“So, you stalked her.”
“I didn’tstalkher. She sent me Alyssa’s game schedule, and I showed up.” I point at my sister. “That’s called an invite.”
Chelsea rolls her eyes from across the table. “I don’t understand how you’re just okay with her now after droppingyou like that. Don’t you remember how heartbroken you were when she disappeared?”
I nod, talking around the lump of food in my cheek. “I do. But now that I know what happened, I can forgive her and move forward.”
“I think what she did was very selfless.” Mom reaches over and squeezes my hand. “She put your and Chance’s needs before her own, and that must’ve been extremely difficult with everything she was going through.”
My eldest sister, Kathy, takes a sip of iced tea. “I agree. She chose to grieve her sister’s death by herself, and to take care of two kids by herself, all while still being a kid herself.”
Chelsea hikes a shoulder. “I get that, but I still don’t know if I’d be so willing to open my heart to her again.”