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“I felt like there was something missing in my life. I guess I wanted the family I used to have, but since that wasn’t possible the next best thing was to start a family of my own.

I wanted the whole shebang, the wife and kids.

I thought that would make me feel better.

That it would fill that hole. At the time, I was dating this .

.. young lady ... and I stupidly asked her to marry me. ”

“Why was it stupid?”

“Because I knew I didn’t love her. Not like a man should love the woman he was going to marry.

I realized, or rather, I acknowledged that a little too late.

Every day, I told myself I was going to have a talk with her and explain that I wasn’t thinking straight.

That it was the grief talking and not me, but every day, it was harder and harder to say those words to her.

She’d put so much into planning our dream wedding.

That was actually her dream wedding because I couldn’t even tell you the colors.

That’s how far removed I was from everything. ”

My heart pounded as if I was waiting for him to break the news to me instead of some woman I’d never met.

“It was bad enough that she was all excited, but then she pulled Carmen in, and she was just as excited. She’d taken our mom’s death even harder than I did, and to see her happy again ...” Lance shook his head. “I didn’t know how to take that away from her.”

“But you didn’t have a choice,” I said as if I needed to remind him that he did what had to be done.

“I didn’t. I wished I’d manned up and done it before money was spent, venues were secured, and invitations were printed.”

My eyes stretched. “Oh wow.”

“Oh wow is right. So, as you can imagine, when I broke the news to her, she was fierce. I still believe if she’d had a weapon on her that night, she would’ve used it.”

“That must’ve been so awful for you.”

“It was even more awful for her. I recognized that, but I didn’t know what to do to make it better other than go along with the wedding, which I wasn’t willing to do.

When she left my house that night, she promised me that I would regret what I’d done to her.

She was convinced that, for some reason, I did it on purpose.

Like I had some longtime vendetta against her or something. ”

“But she eventually got over it?”

“Yeah, eventually, after she told the whole world that I’d raped her.”

My mouth opened slightly, and I tried to think of words that my brain wouldn’t form.

Rape? Lance? His name and that word should never be that close to each other.

Lance was my friend. Lance would never do that.

He couldn’t do that. It wasn’t who he was, and nothing inside me questioned that fact.

Which meant a lot because I questioned everything, but not that.

“It’s okay, Nova.” He moved closer to me and wrapped the blanket around both of us.

I didn’t realize I was crying until he wiped my face. “How could anyone do that to you?”

“People who are hurting tend to make others hurt with them. That’s what she was doing. She felt like I embarrassed her, so she set out to embarrass me.”

“But that was more than embarrassing. She could’ve sent you to prison. She could’ve ruined your life.”

“She did,” he said. “Not my whole life, but she ruined that period of it. I was arrested, and my face was plastered all over the news, in the newspapers, and on social media. I don’t think I’ve ever been more embarrassed.”

“Oh my God, Lance.” I looped my arm around his and closed the space between us.

At that moment, I wanted to be close to him.

The need to make all his hurt go away was so strong.

Stronger than I ever imagined it could be.

Then, in an instant, my emotions went from sad to angry.

Livid. I hadn’t felt that kind of anger since I’d left that house, and it scared me.

Maybe it was the news Lance had just shared on top of how I was already feeling about myself from hurting Skye.

Even if I didn’t know what I’d done wrong, it didn’t matter.

The fact that she believed my return ruined everything was enough.

“What happened to her? Did she go to prison for trying to ruin your life?” My scalp heated at the thought of her getting off easy after causing him so much pain. The same way Adam got off easy after stealing years of my life.

“She took a plea deal and was hit with a healthy fine and probation. I could’ve sued for defamation of character, but I didn’t want to do that. I wanted it over and done with,” he explained.

“Over and done with? She accused you of one of the worst things a man can be accused of other than murder, and you wanted it over and done with? Why? You should’ve sued her. She should’ve gone to jail for the rest of her life.”

“Hey.” Lance wrapped his arm around me. “It’s okay. I’m okay.”

“It’s not okay.” My voice vibrated with rage. “I’m sick and tired of people getting off easy after they’ve done wrong. It’s not fair,” I cried. “It’s not fair.” I laid my head on his shoulder.

Lance held me tighter and continued telling me that everything was going to be okay.

His voice and words were annoying at first, but then they became soothing and mixed in with the scenery around us.

His words penetrated the hard exterior I attempted to build and found their way to my core.

Lance kissed my forehead and ignited pieces of me that hadn’t felt alive in forever.

That was when I reminded myself that I wasn’t supposed to feel that way.

Not with Lance. He was my friend. The feelings that tried to creep in couldn’t because it didn’t make sense.

I shouldn’t feel that way about Lance or anyone else.

No man deserved the woman I was now. The woman that Adam defiled and damaged and left to die alone.

Lance didn’t deserve that version of me.

After everything he’d gone through, he needed a woman who was whole and beautiful. And that wasn’t me.

“You okay?” Lance asked.

I lifted myself off him. “Do I look okay to you?”

“No, not really.” He used his finger to wipe underneath my eye.

“You’re not funny. But I do have a serious question.”

“Yeah, what is it?”

“You said you’ve never been more embarrassed in your whole life, and I was wondering if that included that time you wore those high-water pants when your mom was out of town, and you forgot to do your laundry?” I made my face as serious as possible.

Lance howled in laughter. He threw his head back and kept laughing. Tears streamed down his face, and he wiped them away while he tried to stop himself from laughing. He’d barely regained his composure when he said, “I hate you so much.”

We both laughed until the laughter slowly died.

“I missed you, Nova. Life without you isn’t the same. You don’t bring me joy. You are my joy. And still my best friend. Promise you’ll never leave me again.” He held out his pinkie.

I latched mine with his, and that sealed the deal. Lance had to be a part of my life forever because the pinkies never broke a promise.

My phone rang, and I reached into my pocket and pulled it out. “My first call.” I showed Lance the screen. “It’s Mama. Oh my goodness, I forgot to call and let her know where I am.” I hurried and accepted the call. “I’m so sorry. I’m fine. I’m with Lance. We’re at the lake.”

“Nova, have you seen Skye?” Mama asked.

“Yeah,” I said slowly, wondering if Mama was okay because I told her that Skye had come by earlier today and what she’d said to me.

“Oh, thank God. Where is she? Leah and Quinton are worried sick.”

“What?” Panic took over. “What do you mean, where is she? I haven’t seen her since earlier when she came by the house.”

“I thought you said ... I was asking if you’d seen her recently,” Mama clarified.

“No. Did you call her?” I leaped off the truck and ran my hand over my short curls. “Of course you called her. You wouldn’t have called me without calling her first,” I rambled to myself.

“What’s wrong?” Lance stood in front of me.

I looked at him, almost unable to see him through the pure terror that had taken over my entire body. “Skye’s missing.” I somehow managed to say the words that I wished like hell I’d never have to say.