I returned the smile, but inside, my chest tightened with the weight of unspoken worries.Reed and I had faced numerous challenges tonight, but I couldn’t shake the knowledge that there was still unfinished business ahead.
Nadine.Judy.Layla.Me.And of course Xander.Too many lives and futures hung in the balance, depending on what choices Reed decided to make.
We’d been caught up in our actions of trying to stay alive and tying up loose ends, as Reed saw it.But when it came to what mattered most to me—the reason why I jumped back in time—I hadn’t heard any commitment from him.And this made every muscle in my body tense, my heart heavy.
There were multiple times when he’d saved my life tonight, and there were a few moments when I did the same.But regardless of all that—never mind what I felt for him—what mattered now was my family.
“Do we need to arrange for a car to come and pick us up, or are they close enough that we can walk to the house?”
There was no point in taking another step or prolonging this.I turned and faced him.We were standing at the edge of a little park near the trolley stop.
I took a deep breath.Then, in one fleeting moment, memories of my time with him from this entire week washed over me, threatening to overwhelm me.What I felt for him was too deep.The bond we shared, the way we complemented each other, was fresh and raw and unlike anything I had ever experienced.In that brief moment, I realized that there would never be another Reed in my life.
“Nothing has changed,” I whispered, my voice trembling with emotion.“I can’t take you back to them unless I know.”
“I get that.But by now, youdoknow.Youshouldknow.”His words came explosively, shocking me.He leaned closer, his face mere inches away from mine.“Do you know what my options were when we faced Vaughn?”
“What were they?”
“I could have done nothing,” he said.“Just walked away and let him live.Reset this week.Reset you.Reset him.”
He placed both hands on my shoulders, his gaze penetrating mine.
“Regardless of what he said, all his threats would have disappeared in the blink of an eye.His authority would never have exceeded mine,” he stressed.“But what did I do?I killed the man.Although he deserved it, I still killed an unarmed man.And do you know why?”
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to keep my emotions in check.I needed to give him the chance to explain, to express his feelings, to convince me that those who mattered to me would be safe, rather than leaving me to speculate.
“I want this new chance.I want Judy to blaze a new path for herself.I want Nadine and her husband to have the life they once had.I know and I accept that there will be complications.My life, my future as I know it, will be different, it could take a very different trajectory.But whatever happens, however things turn out, it’s all worth it to me.Because having you in my life is everything.I don’t want to lose you, Avalie.”
I melted into his embrace, his arms wrapping around me with a reassuring strength, grounding me in the present moment.His lips brushed against my forehead tenderly, sending a wave of warmth through me.I tilted my head up, meeting his gaze, and our lips met in a soft, lingering kiss.
“You know,” I whispered when we finally pulled away from each other, “the decision to bring you to the house is theirs, not mine.It’s up to Xander and Nadine.”
“I understand.And I hope they understand that I want to see my mother one more time,” he said softly.
It hit me hard.I grasped his words with a clarity that stung.Despite this change in history, the uncertainty of Judy’s illness loomed over him.There was no guarantee she would live to see Reed grow older, let alone be a constant presence in his life.
“I’ll give them a call,” I said.
He nodded and took a few steps away to afford me the privacy I needed.It wasn’t surprising when Xander answered on the first ring.He recognized the number and had already texted me earlier that Judy was safe at their house.
“Are you alright?”he asked.
Before I could respond, the phone was evidently put on speaker, and Nadine’s voice joined in, echoing the same concern.
“Yes, Reed and I are both fine,” I reassured them.
“I’m guessing all those sirens down around the Pier Bowl had something to do with you two,” Xander remarked.
“Guilty as charged,” I admitted.“But it was necessary.How is Judy?”
I moved closer to Reed and put the phone on speaker.I knew he would want to hear the answer.
“Starved, thirsty, and weak since she arrived.As expected,” Nadine put in.“But the questions haven’t slowed down.”
Judy chimed in from their end.“Think of it as the chance to work with the designer on the prototype.”She paused.“The after-effects are too heavy.I can totally work on that, though.”
I glanced at Reed’s face and saw the smile there.He was definitely a proud son.But he was also restless.With his hands tucked into his pockets, he moved away again, giving me space.
