I wanted to have this conversation with my brother and bring things to a head for a change. To engage in the conflict instead of avoiding it.
The minutes ticked by. Still nothing.
Shaking my head, I exhaled in defeat. Clearly, whoever lived here wasn’t home.
I turned to leave when I heard feet shuffling toward the door on the other side.Finally!A sign of life—hurrah!The deadbolt clicked, and I gathered myself in time to see a man silhouetted behind the screen.
“Sorry,” he said, moving to unlock it. “I was in the backyard and didn’t hear the bell at first.”
As the door opened, I straightened.
“That’s okay.” I yanked my purse onto my shoulder, positioning a hand over my eyes to shield them from the sun. “Sorry to bother you. I’m looking for—” I stopped cold as he stepped into the doorway. Disbelief clouded my mind. “Oh my god…” My arm lowered in slow motion. “Deck?”
Either the stress of the past few days had caused an intense hallucination, or Arturo Decker stood right in front of me.
My heart hammered. The sensation of tightening lungs gripped me, binding my chest like an iron band. A shockwave traveled down my spine.
“Deck?” I whispered again.
He stared at me, slack-jawed. His dark brown eyes blinked, then blinked again.
Those eyes. Big and round and stormy. With the soulful gaze that had fueled so many of my teenage daydreams.
For twelve years, I’d tried to forget those eyes. Tried to forget the haunted look he’d given me the last night I’d seen him.
The worst night of my life.
Chapter three
Deck
PRESENT DAY
Istuck the shovel in the ground and leaned against it, the task of digging a massive hole in my backyard nearly complete. My arms ached like I’d just pitched nine innings, but the Japanese maple in a pot on my patio deserved a permanent home. I had almost psyched myself up to keep going when theDope Gardening Songsplaylist blasting from my soundbar went quiet between tracks, long enough for me to hear the buzzing of my doorbell.
Leaving my muddy shoes outside and turning off the speaker, I gave my hands a quick rinse in the kitchen before making my way to the front of the house. As I opened the screen door, I hoped Johnny would be on the other side. I hadn’t seen him fora few weeks, and he’d looked pretty strung out that last time. It would be nice to see him safe and—
“Oh my god…Deck?”
Alright.
Not Johnny.
Mierda.
Since I started talking to her brother again a year ago, I’d been expecting this moment. Dreading it. Even as I did my best to avoid it.
“Hey, Cori.”
I lifted my arm, like maybe I was gonna shake her hand, but it turned into a clumsy little wave at my waist. It didn’t seem like she noticed. Her eyes looked unfocused, dazed.
“Deck?” She appeared to be catching her breath. “Deck…” More deep breaths. “I can’t believe… Wow.”
As much as I’d anticipated running into her eventually, I still felt unprepared. Even more so when I registered her expression.
Why did she seem so surprised to see me? She’d shown up onmydoorstep. Had Johnny given her the address? Was he okay? Wassheokay? I wanted to ask, but the words wouldn’t come. The only ones that came were, “Yeah…wow.”
She glanced up at the sky and shook her head before muttering, “Wild,” beneath her breath. Leaning back on her heels, she eyed me up and down. Her expression remained unreadable. I stood, not speaking, my hands buried in my pockets.
