“It was all for nothing, and now she’s gone,” I finished for him, emotion lodging in my throat.
He nodded. “She is. And you don’t have the first clue what to do with that. Not to mention, you just survived a fucking plane crash yourself. That alone is enough to do your head in, but on top of all the rest of it?” He let out a low whistle. “I don’t know how you’ve made it this long.” He hooked his arm under my shoulder and helped me to my feet.
My head spun and the floor swayed from side to side as I struggled to catch my balance.
He grunted, taking the majority of my weight. “But I do know you are officially done doing this alone. Just wait until I tell Cass. She’s going to be so far up your ass you’ll beg for lube.”
I barked a pained laugh. Only Tyson could make a joke in the middle of my nervous breakdown.
He walked me to his black Jeep Wrangler and waited for me to climb inside before shutting the door.
I hung my head as he marched around the hood. How the hell had I let it get to this point? Dragging my family into my mess… But he was right: I needed help.
They’d always been there for us when Remi was struggling. My mom had cooked dinner several nights a week. Cass would bring the kids to hang out, because even though no one ever mentioned it to her, she’d noticed the way Remi’s whole face lit up whenever the boys were around. And Tyson had this innate ability to make her laugh—usually at my expense, but if it meant hearing her laughter, I was all too happy to be the butt of every joke.
The truth was I’d been so occupied with taking care of her that I’d neglected myself. I’d ignored the trauma of spending five days wondering if the woman I loved was alive or dead when she’d been missing.
I’d ignored the way a part of me had shattered each and every time I found her lifeless, bleeding and broken.
I’d ignored the constant and suffocating pressure of anger and bitterness building inside me when I’d finally rest my head each night and wonder why us, why her. And yeah, sometimes even why me.
If I was being honest with myself, I’d been treading water, barely keeping myself afloat, for a long time before we’d left the hospital as strangers. And finally, that afternoon, for no particular rhyme or reason, I’d finally sunk.
Tyson climbed into the driver’s seat and hit the ignition. He offered me a grim smile as we backed out of the driveway. “Things will get better, Bo. It may not seem like it now, but it will. Don’t worry about the scar, either. The hospital won’t let me do it myself, but I personally know a few stellar plastic surgeons who can make it practically disappear.”
“No,” I rushed out. My arm screamed as I added pressure to the towel. I figured it was a good sign that I was finally feeling pain on the outside again. “I don’t want to get rid of it.” My throat burned and my chest ached.
God, I missed that woman.
If the tides ever turned in our favor and her memories came back, I had to get my shit together so I could offer her more than just half a man. And if she didn’t come back, I owed it to myself to finally get the help I’d so often preached to her about. “I need to remember how bad it got. That way, I’m never tempted to add one on the other side.”
“Good,” he whispered, reaching across to give my shoulder a squeeze. “I could go an entire lifetime without ever seeing you like this again.”
“I’m sorry,” I repeated, but I knew from experience it wouldn’t change anything.
But I could change it for myself.
The hard work was just beginning.
Bowen
“There is no way you can ski.” I laughed with one hand wrapped around a glass of whiskey, the other anchored to her thigh. “I’ve seen you in shoes, Remi. You barely stay upright.”
“I’m serious! Aaron’s family owns a ski lodge in Vail. He’s been teaching me for years. Now I’m not saying I’m good at it. But I dominate the bunny slopes.”
“You and every five-year-old, I’m sure.”
She twirled the stem of her wine glass. “There are some adults there too. Thank you very much.”
I quirked a brow. “Helping their kids?”
“You know what…” She narrowed her eyes. “You like this song, don’t you?”
Cupping my ear, I listened to it above the crowd in McMurphy’s.
We’d been there all night. Dinner after work. Drinks at the bar. Watching the game on the large TVs mounted on the wall. But honestly, we hadn’t stopped talking since we’d sat down, so even the music was background noise to me.
