Page 3 of Crossed Lines

“Yeah, whatever. I thought it was time to make the outside look nice.”

“It looks really good, Sawyer,” I tell him. He’s never been one to accept compliments very well, so he simply nods and grabs one of the boxes from his truck bed.

“Do you want all of these in your room or should I put them in the garage?”

“You can put the boxes in the garage. I really just need the suitcases with my clothes in them.”

Sawyer kept my bedroom exactly how I left it. The bedding is still yellow, which was my favorite color as a kid because it reminded me of summertime. Summer was always my favorite. Being outside, going to the pool, and staying out late riding bikes? What’s not to love?

The walls in my room are pretty bare. I didn’t spend a whole lot of energy or money on decorating. I have a canvas painting I did for fun one time hanging over my bed, but that’s about it. No pictures. No awards. Just walls.

I drag one of my suitcases to the corner before I go out and grab another from my car. By the time we’re done unloading both vehicles, a pizza guy is stopping at the foot of the driveway.

Sawyer pays the man and nods for me to follow him inside. “Your welcome home dinner.”

“Just what I wanted.”

We had pizza delivered that first night it was just the two of us in this house. I think we were both holding back tears as we ate, but Sawyer tried his best to make me happy. That night, we ate pizza on the floor as we watched my favorite movie. Then he made us Coke floats for dessert, and we slept in sleeping bags on the living room floor.

It was a terrible night full of emotions but also a good one. It started our new life together. It also started our tradition of delivery pizza and Coke floats on special occasions.

Apparently, my coming back to Blue Haven is a special occasion now, according to Sawyer.

“Extra pepperoni,” I say, surveying the goods. We have a table to eat off of this time, but it’s still just as meaningful as the first time.

Sawyer makes us each a float in one of the big mugs we eventually bought at a thrift store. I think I was twelve at the time and thought they were the best thing ever.

When he finally sits down next to me on the couch, we cheers with our big mugs. “It’s good to have you home for a few months, Wills.”

“It’s good to be here.” I’m not sure if either of us believes that, but he doesn’t call me out on it. Instead, he lets me pick the movie as we dig into our dinner.

CHAPTER 2

Beck

Jade whizzes by me in her superhero cape and pink princess dress, completely unaware of the mountain of stress her mother just unloaded on me. Before becoming a parent, I never realized how much energy six-year-olds could have. Sometimes I look at her and wonder how she isn’t exhausted. I’m tired just watching her.

She’s been singing Disney songs into her pink Bluetooth microphone since we got home from the stables almost two hours ago. Two hours of singing at the top of her lungs. Now she’s “dancing” through the house with music blasting. And I use the word dancing liberally because it’s more just a lot of running and jumping.

There’s a single knock on the front door before my best friend Sawyer walks in.

“Mr. Sawyer!” Jade yells before she runs and jumps into his arms.

“Jadey! How are you today?”

“I’m great. Daddy took me to get ice cream and then we rode horses and now he’s making my favorite dinner!”

Sawyer smiles at her. “What’s your favorite dinner?”

“Mac and cheese!”

“That’s my favorite dinner, too! You think I can convince your dad to give me all your mac and cheese?”

Jade’s eyebrows crinkle together. “No way, Jose! It’s for me. My belly is hungry.”

“Ah, well, I can’t argue with a hungry belly.”

He sets her down, and she runs to the table where I’ve just placed her plate.