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I close my eyes tightly because I can’t watch anymore. I don’t want to watch. I’m so fucking scared, and I wish the police would magically appear. Today was never supposed to be like this.

Mia continues to try to run us off the road, speeds are dangerously high, and we’re switching lanes to get away from her. I glance over at Drew and all I can do is tell him how much I love him. He swallows hard. “Tell me when we’re safe, sweetheart.”

As we’re passing traffic and slipping in between cars, I watch in the side mirror as Mia cuts people off just to stay on our tail. Another curb and we pass the front vehicle and pick up dangerously high speeds. Drew knows what he’s doing and I find comfort in knowing he’s trained for this, but in this moment, I know it can’t end well.

A quarter of a mile ahead, there’s a stop sign and Drew looks both ways as he runs through it. Continuing forward, we’re hugging corners and on one curb as she comes around us to push us into trees, Drew slams on his breaks and kicks up gravel. The Mercedes hits the guardrail along the curb, loses control and flies off the outlook. I let out a scream, frozen in place as I watch the dust from the gravel blow away. I glance over at Drew with horror as I realize what just happened.

Lights and sirens blaze behind us as Drew gets out of the car and runs to the guardrail. Smoke is blazing up from below and I rush out toward Drew just as a big explosion erupts from down the cliff.

“Oh my God!” I cry out, barely holding myself together. The car is completely engulfed in flames and there’s nothing either of us can do. Black smoke blows up the cliff as the sirens get louder behind us. Soon fire trucks and police cars take over the street. Drew holds me in his arms and I rest my cheek on his chest as we watch everything unfold. It all happened so fast. Firemen run the hose down the cliff as police officers redirect traffic and get people who stopped to watch off the street. It’s as if we’re standing still in the middle of a movie being played at full speed. All the noise fades around us as the beating of my heart gets louder.

Mia’s dead.

There’s no way she survived that crash.

CHAPTER TWENTY

DREW

Three Months Later…

The fall breeze and bright sunny sky makes for the perfect day. It’s just the right temperature for a cookout. Burgers, brats, chicken, and steak are all prepped and ready to go on the grill, and all our friends are here to help us celebrate the first cookout in our new house. I just finished expanding the deck and I surprised Courtney with a brand-new patio set for her to sit out on when she lays out here with Buddy and Reed.

“Drew!” I hear her yell from inside the house. “Your folks are here looking for you.”

I set the pan of meat down on the table and head back inside to greet them. Dad’s stealing the grandkids away from Travis and Viola as Mom rubs Viola’s growing baby bump. I smile as I remember the day Travis called me in a panic shortly after Viola announced they’d be expecting a third baby.

After about a week, Travis started to breathe again and although he was scared at first, now he’s so fucking excited he never shuts up about it—mostly about the super sperm he contributed—but I’m happy for both of them.

“I’m showing so much earlier this time around,” I hear Viola groan to our mother. Mom assures her it’s normal since it’s the third time and that she should embrace this little miracle since it’ll be the last one. That was another thing Viola made sure to let us all know. Travis will be getting snipped to make certain Viola doesn’t get knocked up again. I kind of find it humorous, but given that I thought Courtney was the one pregnant at first, I sort of feel for him.

“Hey, Mom. Hey, Larry.” I give them both hugs, thanking them for coming. My dad walks in next. Today’s a special day and I’m so glad to finally be moving on from the past that’s haunted over us this last year. The accident that led to Mia’s death shocked all of us, but I can’t say I would’ve done anything differently. I did what I had to do to protect myself and Courtney and that was all I had control over. Jayden’s behind bars serving his time. Courtney’s happier than ever at work, and I’m back on day shift with weekend rotations. Life couldn’t get any better right now.

Well, I lied. It can.