Page 103 of How We End

“Let’s see.We have one more in this stretch, and then we have Minnesota, then…” He mumbled a couple cities.“His first game back will be February twenty-fourth against Vancouver.He’s not going to be happy.”

“What did that tattoo say?Something about love.”

“Wyatt.I mean it.Don’t agree to something you’re not ready to take on.”

“He is a man, Anders, not a fucking puppy.”I hung up and finished packing.I wondered what would be left of my life when I got back.

CHAPTERFORTY-EIGHT

WYATT

February 4

The Las Vegas airport at two was a weird mix of people.Girls in last night’s makeup mixed with tired tourists in Las Vegas merch.The baggage claim was empty of anyone but the bright lights that welcomed their next victim.Anders didn’t know if Julian would check a bag.They always flew private.So there I stood, dodging blurry-eyed businessmen and excited bachelorettes, hoping to catch Julian.

As the crowd thinned, I worried I had missed him.Then I saw him.Hood pulled down low over a hat.The weight of everything on his shoulders.He stopped when he saw me.

“You’re here,” he said as his bag hit the ground.

“I am.”He looked tired.

“I got into a fight.”

“I see that.”He had a black eye and tiny stitches in his brow.

“Then I got suspended.”

“I quit my job.”

“You didn’t have to.”

I stepped closer to him.“I love you.”

He pulled me into his embrace and into whatever life Julian and I would start here in the bright lights of the baggage claim of the Las Vegas airport.

* * *

Julian fell asleep before we crossed the California state line.Four hours later, the sun was just turning the sky pink as we pulled into Silver Creek, a small gold rush town at the base of the Sierra Nevada mountains and on the edge of the Sierra National Forest.It was far away from anything or anyone that would care who the man stretched out in the seat next to me was.

I turned onto Main Street.It had recently snowed, giving the small town a magical feel.It had been months since I’d been back.Which was why I had thought about selling it.Jerry, my caretaker, made sure the heat was on and shoveled the wooden stairs to my apartment.I pulled in behind the Silver Creek General Store and Outfitters.

“Julian.”I touched his arm.He jumped awake, blinking at me in confusion before realizing where he was.“You okay?”

“Yeah.”He sat up, rubbing his face.“I guess I fell asleep.Sorry.Fuck, it’s, like, five in the morning.Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.We’re here.”I nodded out the windshield.

“And where is here?”

“My soft place to land.”Outside, the air was crisp and clean.Frost glittered on everything.Julian grabbed the bags and followed me up the steps.Inside, the warm coziness of the apartment greeted us.I tossed the keys on the counter and did a quick walk-through of the one-bedroom apartment.

“You own this?”Julian said, toeing off his shoes.

“Yep, and the outfitters below,” I said, clicking on the lamp in the bedroom.The king-size bed looked inviting with its mismatched bedding and wool blankets.The curtain had been opened, letting in the red glow from the outfitters’ neon sign that shone in.That had been my only upgrade to the building—that and a new roof.I guess I needed neon to fall asleep.

I checked the master bathroom, the only bath in the place.It was small, with a tub shower combo, pedestal sink, and toilet.The penny tile was original, and so was the cracked frosted glass window.It needed an update, but for the next three weeks, it would be home.No one knew this place existed.Not even Maverick.

“What do you think?I know it’s not as grand as the place in Reno.But there’s no toilet in the middle of the room.And no one knows we’re here.”The rest of the place was open concept.The kitchen ran along the back wall.It was small, but I didn’t need much.The walls were the original brick and plaster.The living area still had the large windows that looked out onto Main Street.There were two smaller rooms off the living area.The rooms hadn’t been refinished and lacked heating.So Jerry put large sheets of insulation over the door to help keep the heat in.