Page 35

CHAPTER 33

A REASON TO STAY

SAGE

The morning after graduating, after sleeping in, working out, and somehow fitting both of their tall bodies into Sage’s shower, Sage and David walked hand-in-hand into the lobby of The Magnolia, the boutique hotel where Brinley, Rohan, and her mom were staying.

Passing through the brightly lit lobby that was painted a variety of greens with a few pink accents, they walked into the back patio restaurant. Wrought-iron tables with white tablecloths were arranged under a wooden pergola that was covered in blooming jasmine.

Brinley waved them over, looking put together as always in a floral dress and perfectly curled hair. Beside her, Rohan looked relaxed and at home in some sort of linen shirt that matched the orange in the flowers on her sister’s dress.

It was disgustingly cute.

Her mom was also in a dress, with her graying blonde hair braided and twirled around her head and her tan skin more lined than Sage remembered. It was a rather harsh reminder that as she grew and moved forward with her life, her mother did too.

Sage exchanged hugs and greetings with her small, imperfect family — including Rohan, who had earned the honorary brother title simply by making her sister so fucking happy — and then sat down, watching with overwhelming fondness as David bent down to give her mom a warm hug.

“Wonderful party last night,” her mom said as they all settled in. Her smile deepened the lines around her mouth. “Your friends are lovely, David.”

David nodded, smiling easily. “I certainly think so, Ms. Fogerty.”

Her mom scoffed. “Please call me Cheryl,” she said, leaning over and patting David’s hand. “My students call me Ms. Fogerty all day, and that’s more than enough for me.”

“I’ll try,” David replied, casting a quick smile over at Sage. She felt the firm grip of his hand on her thigh and she smiled back.

Their waiter arrived, and soon they were bouncing from topic to topic as they ate. Sage stole bacon from David’s plate, and he ordered her another tea every time her mug got low.

It struck her just how much their lives were in rhythm. How months and months of friendship and proximity had built these little connections between them. When all of the small things added up, there was something solid and more real than she ever could have imagined. Something they had created together.

At some point David and Rohan excused themselves, probably to do something silly like argue over who was going to pick up the bill.

“Girls,” her mom said, folding her hands onto the table in front of her and looking between her two daughters. “I just want to say how proud I am of both of you.”

Neither of them responded. For Sage’s part, she honestly didn’t quite know what to say.

“After everything the two of you went through,” her mom continued. “To see you both here, standing strong and steady with plans for your futures,” she paused to wipe at one of her eyes. “It’s all that a mother could ever want for her daughters.”

Sage glanced over at Brinley, who was blinking furiously. She could already see the moisture gathered around her sister’s eyes.

“Stop it, Mom,” Brinley said, but there was no heat behind her words. Her mom reached out and poked Brinley on the nose, just like she’d done when they were little. Her sister’s lower lip trembled, and she reached for a napkin, dabbing at her lower lash line.

“I know I was tough on you after your dad left. I didn’t know how to handle my heartbreak, and I know that I gave both of you too much of my pain. I’m so, so sorry for that.” A soft smile spread across her face. “But look at you two! After all of that, you both found men who care for, respect, and so obviously love you.”

Sage let out a snort. “I’m not so sure about that.”

The other two Fogerty women at the table shot her almost identical incredulous expressions.

“Of course he loves you,” Brinley said, like it was an indisputable truth.

Her mom nodded. “That man is in love with you.”

Sage looked between them and waved her hands, hoping to dismiss the topic entirely.

“What’d we miss?”

The three women looked up as David and Rohan approached the table. Both men were handsome in their own right, and Sage felt a wave of amusement at how well she and Brinley had done.

“We’re all set,” Rohan said, extending a hand to Brinley and helping her to her feet. He looked at her like she was the sun and the moon and maybe even the earth itself. Like she was everything .

Oh yeah. That man definitely loved her .

Sage stood up, watching as David circled around the table and offered her mom a hand. Her mom accepted his assistance before shooting a meaningful, eyebrow-raised glance at Sage.

She couldn’t keep the smile from her face as she walked toward the front door of the hotel. They had a few hours before her mom, Brinley, and Rohan were heading to the airport, and they were planning on all going for a walk around King Street.

Sage hung back, slinging an arm over her mom’s bony shoulder and taking a deep breath of her patchouli scent.

Her mom looked up at her with a sad smile. “You’re not coming home, are you?”

“No, Mom.” Sage let out a slow exhale, looking ahead to where David walked beside Brinley and Rohan. “But I promise I’ll visit.”

Her mom’s smile brightened, and it seemed that all she needed was a small moment of sadness to mourn Sage’s moving on. “You’re happy here,” she said, nodding at their surroundings, like somehow the brightly painted pink exterior wall and white trim around the windows encapsulated Charleston as a whole. “I can see it in your eyes. And that’s all that I ever wanted for you, Sagey.”

“Love you, Mom,” Sage whispered, pressing a kiss to her mom’s sun-warmed hair.

When they reached the street and started down the sidewalk, Sage found herself threading her fingers through David’s, the skin of her palm meeting the skin of his. He leaned down and kissed her temple, the coarse hair of his beard tickling her skin.

Beside them, Brinley and Rohan walked hand in hand. “So what are your plans for the summer?” Brinley asked.

Sage squinted against the bright sun. “Bartending. Reading whatever the fuck I want.” She bumped her shoulder against David’s. “Hopefully dragging this one out to California for a visit.”

She glanced up at him, catching the pleased smile on his face.

Brinley squealed. “Ooo yes! You guys have to come out. I’ll get us a house on the beach.”

“I always forget how rich you are,” Sage said, kicking out a leg to knock against her sister’s knee.

Snorting, Brinley nodded her chin toward Rohan. “You should see how much he makes.”

“Most of it goes to student loans,” her boyfriend protested.

“Meanwhile, I’ll be here melting away in the humidity and working on my tan,” Sage said. “Ah, I love to see my college degree hard at work.”

“Don’t forget about working on your teaching certificate,” David added, squeezing her hand. “And running a few basketball camps.”

Sage felt her cheeks flush. She should have been immune to David’s compliments by now, but apparently her blush response was still as enthusiastic as ever. Glancing over at her sister, she saw Brinley smiling at her in that knowing, older sister ‘ I know better than you ’ way that drove her crazy.

“What,” Sage asked.

Brinley just shrugged, her expression almost smug. “I just never would have guessed that you’d be the one to stay in Charleston.”

Sage subconsciously leaned into the solid body of the man who stood by her side. She thought of all of the things that Charleston had: Maggie and all of David’s friends who at some point had become her own.

She thought about nachos and tots at The Grove and about the Southeastern gym. About magnolia trees and the long drive to Lake Murray.

And she thought about David. About mornings with him in the gym, about the flowers she found waiting on her table, about the apartment keys they’d exchanged a few weeks ago. She thought about Irish Spring and navy sheets and the fact that he refused to give back her t-shirt.

She thought about the way he had come to know her and she’d come to know him. And how that knowing had sunk in deep, leaving a warmth and contentment so full that sometimes it felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest.

Sage inhaled deeply, the heat of the air gentle in her throat. “I never thought I’d have a reason to stay.”