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He gives my shoulder a gentle squeeze and then releases me. We share one last knowing look and then he moves down the steps and into the dark. I linger on the chair, my body slowly rocking it back and forth. The porch light hums above and the night presses in, quiet and thick around me.

I look out across the yard and the hedges along the front of the property. The world has a funny way of feeling so much bigger, yet so much simpler than the pain we carry around deep rooted inside of our chests.

My mind drifts to Amelia and the warm nights we spent rocking on these chairs together. To all the things that were leftunsaid and the ones I whispered into the empty house after she was gone. You think you’ll have time to say it all, but you never do.

And I would never wish that on anyone—especially not my brother.

As the night wears on, my thoughts drift as the loneliness that settles over me, the longing for my dead wife and my single hope for my brother.

I hope that he shoves his fear into the backseat, walks into that house, and tells Andi everything that he needs to say.

And I hope—with the quiet, aching hope that only the broken carry—that he will never end up sitting where I am right now.

Wishing he could go back and love her louder.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

CARSON

The house is silent as I let myself in through the door from the garage. If I hadn’t seen Andi’s car in the driveway, I would have thought she left already. I kick my shoes off, discarding them near hers and Matteo’s before stepping into the kitchen.

The air leaves my lungs in a rush as I find her sitting at the island. She lifts her head, her gaze finding mine. I pause, freezing in place as my breath catches in my throat. Behind her, sitting just outside of the foyer, is Matteo’s small suitcase, along with hers.

Fuck.

“Hey,” she says softly, tucking her hair behind her ears. “Is everything okay with your brother?”

After Matteo went to bed, I told her I was going to go over to Caleb’s for a bit, but I didn’t give her any more explanation than that. I wasn’t about to tell her that I was going over to ask him for advice—advice on what the hell I’m supposed to do with her leaving.

“Yeah,” I tell her, letting out a sigh as I finally walk into the kitchen. “He’s fine.”

Andi lifts the mug from in front of her, bringing it to kiss her lips as she takes a sip of what looks like a cup of hot chocolate. She slowly sets it back on the counter in front of her. “Are you okay?”

Emotion lodges in my throat. “No,” I admit, shaking my head as I step up to the island, planting my hands on the quartz countertop as I stare back at her. “I’m not okay.”

Her eyebrows scrunch together, head tilting to the side as her eyes search mine. “What’s going on?”

“I can’t let you go,” I tell her in a rush, my voice sounding breathless. My throat bobs as I swallow roughly, choosing to rephrase my sentence. “I don’t want you to leave.”

“Carson . . .”

I inhale deeply, lifting my hands from the counter as I close the distance between us. Andi turns to face me in her seat, but I lower myself onto the floor, kneeling in front of her. Her chin dips, eyes laser focused on mine. “I’m in love with you.” I let out a ragged breath.

Her eyes widen and she sucks in a sharp breath. My hands find her knees, careful not to grip her too tightly, but it’s nearly impossible. She’s like sand drifting through the spaces between my fingers and I can’t let her get away.

I let her walk away once before, under different circumstances, and fuck that. I’m not letting her walk away again.

“I love you, Andi.”

Her mouth hangs slightly open, her hands lifting to cup the sides of my face. Instinctively, I sigh, resting my cheek against her warm palm. My eyelids flutter shut and I revel in how soft her touch is. “You know, I never thought you would actually say it.”

My eyelids lift. “What?”

A soft chuckle escapes her and she shakes her head at me. “I love you.”

“Wait, are you saying it back or are you answering my question?”

Andi gives me a look, letting out a soft breath. “I’m saying it back, dummy.”