Page 112 of Midnight Ink

Taking a breath, I open it.

The moment I see the pendant, I forget how to breathe.

It's beautiful.

The infinity symbol is marbled with deep navy and lighter shades of blue, streaked with delicate flecks of gold that look like stars scattered across a night sky. It looks like an entire galaxy captured inside a single piece of jewelry.

My fingers tremble as I lift it from the box.

“This is beautiful, Jules.”

His smile falters. “It's, um...” He takes a deep breath. “It's infused with Maddox's ashes. Anna took a small amount and I had it made. I just thought maybe you'd like having him with you. If it's too much, I understand. I know I shouldn't have taken any without asking first. I just⁠—”

My eyes snap to his. Everything around me fades. For a second, I can't speak. I stare down at the pendant resting in my hand. My vision blurs as emotion crashes into me all at once.

The grief never truly leaves.

Some days it's quiet, tucked away in the corners of my heart. Other days it feels just as sharp as the day I lost him.

A tear slips down my cheek before I can stop it. I clear my throat, trying to force words past the lump that's suddenly there.

Immediately, Jules' face falls. “I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have⁠—”

“No.” I look up at him. “No, Jules.” I gently place the pendant back into the box and set it on the table before reaching for him. My hands cup his face, and I lean closer. “You have no idea what this means to me.”

His fingers curl around my forearms as I hold him.

For so long, I was terrified that time would steal pieces of Maddox from me. That I'd forget the sound of his laugh or the way his eyes lit up whenever we were about to get ourselves into trouble.

But looking at this pendant, I realize something.

I will never lose him. Not completely. He'll always be here with me. In the stories I tell or the memories I have. And now, I can carry a small piece of him with me wherever I go.

“You did this for me?” I manage to ask.

His own eyes are shining now. I love this gentle, thoughtful man with my whole heart. “Of course I did,” he says softly. “I wanted you to have something you could take with you, since he's staying here.”

That nearly breaks me all over again.

I pull him against me, wrapping my arms around him as tightly as I can.

“Thank you,” I whisper against his ear.

He lets out a shaky breath and hugs me back.

“I was afraid you'd be mad,” he admits quietly. “Or that you'd hate it.”

“Hate it?” I laugh through my tears. “Jules, this is the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever given me.”

I pull back and run my thumbs beneath his eyes.

For a moment, I simply look at him.

The mural.

Our shop.

This pendant.