I woke up to an empty house, the sound of waves gently crashing against the shore in the distance. For a moment, I thought I was alone again, but then I saw the note on the counter.

-Went into town. Don't burn the house down.

I smirked to myself, shaking my head as I set the note down. It had been almost two weeks since MaryAnn had shown up at the beach house, and somehow... it hadn't been as unbearable as I expected. If anything, it was actually kind of nice having her around.

I never would've imagined coexisting with MaryAnn so easily, but she had a way of surprising me. She didn't hover or try to take control of my life. Instead, she gave me space when I needed it and filled the quiet moments with stories—about her life, her travels, and her kids in California. I'd even met her two youngest on FaceTime one night, and it was clear how much she loved them. She lit up when she talked about them, her voice softer, more tender than I'd ever seen her.

And it made me wonder... what would've happened if things had been different?

I wished it hadn't turned out this way for Everest and Austin. MaryAnn had so much to give as a mother, but for whatever reason, she hadn't been able to give that part of herself to them. They got the version of her who was stuck in the club life—one who was too consumed by her own pain to be the mom they needed. But seeing her now... she had more love to give than I'd ever realized.

Still, it didn't change the past. And it didn't change the ache in my chest when I thought about Everest. I hadn't missed the phone calls at night. I'd lay in bed, pretending to be asleep, but I heard every word. MaryAnn's voice was softer when she spoke to him, her tone filled with a mix of concern and something else I couldn't quite place. And Everest...

God, hearing his voice nearly broke me. He always asked how I was doing. If I was okay. If I needed anything. And MaryAnn always told him I was fine.

But I wasn't fine. Not really.

Because every night, after the calls ended, I'd lie there, wishing he was here. Wishing he was the one telling me I was okay. That everything was going to be alright. I missed him so damn much... but I didn't know if I could forgive him.

I didn't even know where to begin.

Today was one of those days where everything felt heavier. Literally.

My belly felt ten times heavier than usual, making it almost impossible to get out of bed. I struggled to push myself up, my muscles screaming in protest. My back ached, my feet were swollen, and even though I was almost seven months along, I felt like I was ready to pop.

"Come on," I murmured to myself, rubbing my belly softly as I tried again. "We've got to get up."

But my body didn't want to cooperate.

I groaned, finally managing to swing my legs over the edge of the bed, but I stayed there for a moment, catching my breath. The exhaustion was deeper today, weighing me down from the inside out. Maybe it was the lack of sleep... or maybe it was the constant tug of emotions I was trying so damn hard to ignore.

Either way, today was going to be a struggle.

I had finally managed to drag myself out of bed, and after a long, hot shower that barely took the edge off, I was sitting at the kitchen table when I heard the front door swing open.

"Hope you're hungry," MaryAnn called from the entryway. "I bought enough to feed a damn army."

I glanced at the clock—just after noon.

Dragging myself up, I shuffled into the kitchen, where MaryAnn was unloading bag after bag of groceries onto the counter. She was already halfway through, her movements swift and efficient, like she'd done this a million times.

"Thanks," I murmured, grabbing a bag and helping her put things away.

For a few minutes, we worked in comfortable silence. It had become our routine lately—coexisting, falling into an easy rhythm I never expected with MaryAnn. And honestly? I didn't mind it.

I was just about to put away the last box of cereal when there was a knock at the door.

MaryAnn froze. Her hand hesitated over a bag of apples, and a shift in her posture told me she was sizing up the situation. She glanced at me, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"I'll get it," she said, but the edge in her voice made it clear that she was cautious.

I watched as she walked to the door, opening it just a crack at first.

"Who the hell are you?" she demanded, her voice sharp and guarded.

I frowned and instinctively moved closer, already knowing who it was.

MaryAnn's suspicion only grew as the man outside gave a friendly but reserved smile.

"This is Justin," I said, stepping beside her, offering an apologetic glance at him. "He lives down the street."

MaryAnn didn't look at me but kept her eyes fixed on Justin, studying him as if she could size him up in a single glance. Her posture remained defensive.

"Down the street, huh?" she said slowly, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. "And what exactly are you doing here?"

"I—uh—was in the area," Justin began, his hands raised in an innocent gesture. "Just wanted to check in, see how Avery's doing."

MaryAnn's eyebrows shot up. "Oh really?" she asked, her tone more skeptical now. "You don't look like you're just 'checking in.'"

She didn't let up, standing firm in the doorway as if waiting for a reason to send him packing. I could practically see the gears turning in her head, measuring every word he said.

I sighed, feeling the tension rising. "It's fine, MaryAnn," I said, stepping forward to smooth over the tension. "He's not here to cause trouble. He's just been... helping me out."

MaryAnn didn't look convinced. Her eyes narrowed, her lips pursed, but after a moment, she reluctantly stepped aside and let Justin enter.

"Come on in," she muttered, though her tone was far from welcoming.

Justin stepped in, looking a little unsure as he glanced at MaryAnn, then back at me. "Thanks."

MaryAnn didn't move, her eyes still watching Justin closely as if waiting for something to trigger her instincts. I could tell she wasn't ready to let her guard down just yet.

I shot her a quick glance, but she didn't budge.

"You can, uh, sit down if you want," I said to Justin, trying to ease the tension in the room. "We're just finishing up with the groceries."

"Sure," he replied, but his voice held the same hesitation as mine. The weight of MaryAnn's scrutiny was almost palpable in the room.

"I'll grab you something to drink," I said, eager to fill the silence.

"Uh, yeah. That'd be great," Justin said, his tone a little awkward now.

As I turned back to the counter to grab the iced tea, I felt MaryAnn's hand grab my arm, yanking me away from the fridge with more force than I expected.

"Are you out of your damn mind?" she hissed, her grip tight on my arm as she pulled me into the corner of the kitchen, away from Justin.

I opened my mouth to speak, but she didn't let me get a word in.

"Are you sleeping with him?" she asked, her voice low but sharp, eyes cutting into me. "Pregnant with Everest's baby, and you're out here with this guy?"

I pulled my arm from her grasp, my pulse quickening. "No, MaryAnn. I'm not sleeping with him," I said, my voice firm but quiet. "We've just met a few times. It's nothing like that."

She raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.

"Honestly," I continued, trying to keep my voice calm, "He's just been nice to me. We've talked, had lunch a couple of times. That's it. He's just been someone to keep me company, nothing more. I'm not looking for anything... especially not right now."

MaryAnn's face softened for a second before she sighed. "I just don't want to see you get into any more trouble. You're already carrying Everest's kid, and look where that's gotten you," she muttered, her tone laced with concern, though I could still hear the edge of judgment underneath.

I swallowed, feeling the weight of her words, but I didn't argue with her. "I know it's complicated. But Justin's been nothing but nice to me, and I can take care of myself."

She stared at me for a long moment, and I could tell she wasn't entirely satisfied with my answer, but for now, she let it go.

We walked back to the table, where Justin was sitting, his fingers tapping anxiously on his glass, waiting for us to return. As we sat down, MaryAnn didn't waste time getting to the point.

"So, Justin, huh?" she started, her voice still holding an edge of suspicion. "You look familiar. What's your last name?"

Justin, caught off guard, looked up at her for a second, then nodded. "It's Marsh," he said, sounding a little hesitant.

I blinked, my eyes flickering between the two of them. I didn't know why, but MaryAnn's eyes narrowed immediately, her gaze shifting from Justin's face to somewhere distant, like she was piecing something together in her head.

"Oh, you're a Marsh," MaryAnn repeated, her voice sharp now.

I was confused. I had no idea what was going on, but I could feel the tension rising in the room. MaryAnn's expression had shifted—gone was the skepticism, replaced with something else entirely. It was almost like recognition, but why?

She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms again, her gaze now fixed firmly on Justin. "Where exactly are you from?" she asked, her voice laced with an undertone I couldn't quite place.

Justin hesitated, clearly uncomfortable under MaryAnn's intense gaze. Before he could respond, I jumped in, answering for him. "He's from Dodge," I said, trying to ease the tension in the room.

MaryAnn raised an eyebrow, her eyes flicking back to Justin with an unreadable expression. "Oh really?" she asked, her voice dripping with skepticism. "Isn't that where those Devils Bloods all come from?"

The room went still for a moment, and I could feel the weight of MaryAnn's words settle between us. Justin let out a nervous laugh, clearly trying to deflect the growing tension. "Yeah," he said, his voice low. "That's the place."

The mention of Dodge and the Devils Bloods hung in the air, heavy and loaded. MaryAnn's gaze never wavered from Justin, and I could see the wheels turning in her head.

"Interesting," she said, her voice flat, before she took a long sip from her glass. "I didn't realize you were tied up with that kind of crowd."

I could feel Justin shift in his chair, the nerves building as he shifted his weight uncomfortably. "I'm not really... involved with that anymore," he said quickly, clearly wanting to clarify the situation. "Just because I'm from there doesn't mean I'm still part of it."

MaryAnn wasn't convinced. "Mmhmm," she hummed, tapping her fingers on the table. "Sure, just be careful. I've seen that kind of trouble before. And it doesn't end well."

I couldn't help but feel a pang of unease as MaryAnn's words echoed in the room. I wanted to believe Justin when he said he wasn't involved with the Devils Bloods, but the mention of Dodge was enough to make anyone cautious.

"Look, I'm not looking for any trouble," Justin said, his voice tense but sincere. "I just wanted to check on Avery, make sure she's okay. That's all."

MaryAnn eyed him for a long moment, and I could feel the tension building in the space between them. Finally, she spoke, her voice soft but pointed. "Well, just keep your distance from things that don't concern you. And don't drag her into anything she doesn't need to be part of."

I could sense that MaryAnn wasn't letting her guard down anytime soon, but I was glad she hadn't outright turned him away. It was clear she was skeptical, but she wasn't about to chase him off just yet.

For my part, I just sat there, lost in my thoughts. The weight of the past—the Devils Bloods, Dodge, and everything tied to Everest—felt closer than ever now. And I wasn't sure if I could trust anyone to help me escape it.

MaryAnn excused herself with a quick nod, saying she needed to make a few calls. The door to the kitchen shut behind her, and suddenly it was just Justin and me sitting at the table, the awkward tension hanging between us like a thick fog.

I fiddled with my glass of iced tea, taking a long sip to break the silence. Justin shifted in his seat, his gaze flickering from me to the door where MaryAnn had just disappeared.

"So..." I said, trying to ease the awkwardness. "How old are you anyway?"

Justin raised an eyebrow, clearly a bit surprised by the question. "Thirty-seven," he said with a slight chuckle, as if expecting me to react.

I leaned back in my chair, pretending to be shocked. "Wow, almost 10 years older than me? You're practically ancient." I smirked, teasing him.

Justin laughed, a sound that seemed to ease some of the tension between us. "Yeah, well, I've been around the block a few times."

"Clearly," I teased, trying to lighten the mood.

But after that, the conversation quieted, and a comfortable but heavy silence settled over us. I noticed the way Justin glanced at me occasionally, as though he was weighing something in his mind, before finally speaking again.

"So," he said, his voice softer now, his gaze steady on me. "Who is MaryAnn to you? She seems... protective."

I paused for a moment, thinking about my answer. The truth wasn't simple. "She's like a mother to me," I said quietly, the words feeling heavier than I intended. "I never really had a stable family, you know? MaryAnn... she's the closest thing to a mother I've had in a long time."

Justin nodded, his eyes softening as he listened. "Sounds like she cares a lot about you."

"She does," I said, feeling a lump form in my throat. "She's been through a lot herself, but she still looks out for me, even when I don't deserve it."

Justin studied me for a long moment before speaking again. "I can see that. She seems tough, but there's something about her that... makes you think she'd do anything for the people she cares about."

I smiled faintly. "Yeah, that's her. She's got a tough exterior, but she's got a big heart."

The silence between us lingered for a while after that, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It felt like an unspoken understanding had formed, one that didn't need words to exist. But despite the quiet, something in me was still unsettled. I couldn't help but think about how much I had changed since coming here, since meeting Justin—and how much of that change had been pushed by the complications of my past and the people who were still part of it.

"So," I broke the silence, trying to shift the conversation back to something lighter. "You never told me what you do for work."

Justin raised an eyebrow, his lips quirking into a small smile. "A man has to have some mysteries, right?"

I rolled my eyes, playfully. "Come on. A little clue?"

He leaned back in his chair, looking out the window for a second before turning his gaze back to me. "I'm in construction," he said. "Own a company in Dodge. It's a lot of hard work, but it keeps me busy."

"Well, sounds like you've got your hands full," I said, trying to ignore the strange feeling that crept up whenever he mentioned Dodge.

"Yeah, but it's good work. Keeps me grounded."

I nodded, unsure how to respond. My thoughts still drifted back to Everest, to the life I was trying to escape. And yet, here I was, sitting across from a man who seemed genuinely kind, yet whose roots were tangled with the very things I was trying to forget.

"Do you like it?" I asked quietly, trying to change the subject. "Construction, I mean."

"Yeah," he said, his gaze thoughtful. "It's honest work. And I like building things that last."

I smiled faintly, appreciating his simplicity. "That's admirable."

The conversation carried on, but in the back of my mind, I couldn't shake the feeling that my life, the choices I was making, and the people I was letting into it, were all leading me somewhere I wasn't sure I was ready for.

________

The sun was warm against my skin as MaryAnn and I strolled through the little shops in town. It had become part of our routine—grabbing coffee, browsing the local boutiques, and pretending, even if just for a little while, that everything in my life wasn't completely upside down.

We had just come from my eight-month checkup, and as usual, I kept quiet about the fact that I was carrying twins. I hadn't told anyone. Not MaryAnn. Not Everest. No one. The thought of saying it out loud made it too real. And I wasn't ready for that. Not yet.

"Alright, I'm heading into that little shop over there," MaryAnn said, pointing toward a small antique store across the street. "You coming?"

"I'll meet you in a minute," I murmured, needing a moment to clear my head. "I just want to look around."

"Alright," she said with a shrug. "Don't wander too far."

I nodded, watching her disappear across the street before turning down a quiet alley lined with tiny storefronts. The cool breeze coming off the water helped steady my nerves as I walked. But just as I rounded the corner, my heart slammed into my chest.

I froze. My breath caught in my throat, and my entire world tilted.

Everest.

He was standing just a few feet away, talking to MaryAnn.

I ducked back behind the corner instinctively, my heart pounding so loud I was sure they'd hear it. I pressed my back against the cool brick wall, trying to catch my breath. Seeing him... after all this time... it felt like the air had been sucked out of my lungs. He looked different, but not really. Same strong build, same intense eyes that had once made me feel so safe.

God, how I missed him.

But I couldn't do this. Not now. Not like this.

I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the tears away. I couldn't face him. I wasn't ready.

Without another thought, I pulled out my phone and texted MaryAnn.

—Not feeling well. Got a ride back. I'll see you at the house.

I didn't wait for a response. I hailed a taxi, my hands trembling as I climbed into the backseat. "Clearwater Beach," I whispered, my voice barely above a whisper.

As the car pulled away, I felt like I was leaving more than just town behind—I was leaving a piece of myself that I wasn't sure I'd ever get back.