I’ll start counting from today and make sure I lose count.
“Sorry to interrupt,” a deep cough comes from behind. “Where should I put these?”
I’m scared to turn around because I might’ve conjured him from my thoughts. Nadine moves her lips, saying something. Rosa adds to it, pointing upstairs. Mom is staring with hearts in her eyes andTataydoesn’t seem shocked. He looks like he’s already spoken to him.
When I’ve studied everyone’s expressions, I turn around to see his eyes on me.
Green, iridescent, and full of endangered love.
Dean Vuk stands at the threshold of my home.
I’m going to murder my sisters.
“Why is that six four giant in ourhouse?”
I ran straight to Nadine’s room like I haven’t spent years running away from her. It’s the same as I remember. Plain, white walls all around. The black, four poster bed tucked next to a wall. Her sleek dresser and gold, circular mirror—we took many goofy pictures there. No one removed the pictures of us three from her side table.
Nadine struggles to get on the bed, Rosa impatiently waits for her to find a comfortable spot.
“He came to me,” Nadine pulls the blanket over her broken heater. She clumsily moves around to lay comfortably. “Rosa, can yousit?” She huffs, waiting for Rosa to get under too. Only they’d go straight for the heater in the midst of a heatwave.
“What do you mean hecameto you?” I ask, plopping down on the carpet.
“He texted me on Headshot, then asked if he could meet me.”
“But you live in Calgary,” I point out.
“Nova,” Rosa pitches in with adon’t be stupidtone. “He flew to Calgary to talk toAte.”
“Why…Why would he do that?”
“That’s what I said,” Rosa rolls her eyes. “But he probably wanted to get approval or something. Even though I’d be easier to talk to than this preggo here.”
“Excuse you,” Nadine lets out a burp.
“No, excuseyou. What the hell,Ate?”
Nadine smiles sheepishly. “You guys miss my burps.”
“Do we really?” Rosa raises a brow.
“Youdefinitely?—”
“Can we get back to this?” I swat the air around me. “You don’t know what happened between us.Ate, I told you he was a great man, and heis, but he made a grave mistake. So bad, it feels like there’s pieces of wood in my shoe. He gave me the full amount of money to pay off the lawsuit. Then I overheard him telling his brother that he technically had to pay me to keep my mouth shut about his family’s past.”
My older sisters share a look.
“Listen to me carefully,” Nadine says, stopping herself from smiling. “That man downstairs flew all the way to Calgary to talk to me aboutyou. He told me what happened, top to bottom, and explained himself. I’ve never seen such intense fear of losing you, Nova. You should’ve heard him when he asked for my help.”
Rosa toys with the heater to stop falling. “God, when will I have someone too?”
“No,” I shake my head. “I’m not forgiving him and as my sisters, you shouldn’t either.Ate, since when do you cave easily?”
“Since he brought me a special white teddy bear from Switzerlandthat my baby sister wanted to get for me but couldn’t.”
I have to remind myself to blink. “He didn’t…”
“I can assure you, he did.” Rosa clicks her phone and shows me a picture. It’s the one from Zermatt. He paid attention to every tiny detail. “Ateraved about it, then proceeded to tell me I needed to step up my sister game.”
