Incinerate

“No, no, I’d never do that. Cohen told me what happened in the hospital. She was in charge of the invitations, and when I asked her to send you one if he would give her your address, I never would’ve guessed that she’d think to hand deliver it. I was surprised when she told me she saw you and you were considering coming. I’m so glad you did.” She stops to wipe away a few tears, and I’m trying to process everything she’s throwing at me when she goes straight for the heart. “I love you, and I’m so proud of the man you’ve become. As painful as it was, I think you getting out of Belle Meade is the best thing you ever did. I’m just sad I missed it all. I’ll never be able to say it enough, but I am so sorry, Knox, and I will be for the rest of my life.”

Crossing to her, I crouch down on the ground in front of her chair. “Momma, I’m not go

I thought it’d be strange calling her what I always did as a kid, but saying Momma for the first time in eleven years brings on a sense of renewal—redemption even.

She’s not looking at me when she nods and I watch as her fingers pick at the tissue in her hand. Lifting her chin, I make her look at me. “That being said, I want you to know that I appreciate everything you just told me. And maybe I was wrong to keep Cohen from letting you know where I was. Maybe I was wrong for not explaining why I was leaving, and I’m sorry for that.” My thumb swipes her cheek, wiping the tears from her face. “I don’t know where things will go from here, but I love you, too. No matter what distance separated us that never changed. I’d like for you to be in my life, for us to find our common ground. And maybe, someday soon, we can be a family again.” I never imagined that coming here would lead to this, and if it weren’t for Charlie, I wouldn’t be opening up to my mother this way, but it feels good. It feels right. It feels like home.

Tears start streaming down her face, and I stand, pulling her up with me. I wrap my arms around her as she sobs into my chest, and I have to close my eyes when I feel the moisture pooling in them. I have no idea how long we stand here, but as her weeping begins to fade, I can hear the latch of the door closing. When I look up, I see that Charlie’s left us alone.

Mom pulls away from me and gestures towards the door. “She seems like a special girl, Knox.”

Looking at the closed door, I nod in agreement. “You have no idea.”

Chapter 27

Charlie

FEELINGS OF both elation and sadness are flowing through me as I watch Knox and Amelia. For a few minutes there, he wouldn’t let go of my hand, gripping it as if I were a lifeline, the only thing keeping him anchored in a stormy sea of emotional torment as he listened to his mother’s tearful apology. When he started pacing, I could see him warring with himself, fighting the battle of wanting to believe her as her words lay assault on the wall he’s built around his heart. It wasn’t until he knelt before her and wiped her tears that mine threatened to spill over.

Now that he’s pulled her into his arms, I know he doesn’t need me anymore, and I decide to give them their space. In this moment, he needs his mother, not me, and I want to respect their privacy. Slipping out of the room, I decide to roam, hoping that I can find Cohen or some friendly face that doesn’t mind talking to a stranger.

Walking towards the sounds of music, I find myself in an enormous to-die-for kitchen. I can’t help but trail my fingers across the expensive granite countertops. Cherry oak cabinets are spread throughout the room, and a gorgeous island is the focal point, resting in the center. I’m in a daze as I imagine amazing home-cooked meals when a sugary voice rips me from my daydream.

“What the hell are you doing in here?” I don’t have to turn around to know who it is. As much as I want to hate her, I take a deep breath, knowing I won’t do anything to ruin Knox’s day, especially after what just happened.

Slowly turning around, I muster up the closest thing I can to a smile. This girl doesn’t even deserve a fake one. “Hello, Megan. I was just admiring the kitchen while I wait on Knox. I’ve never see wood this gorgeous,” I tell her, trying to make small talk when I really just want to be a raging bitch.

Rolling her eyes, she scoffs. “I’m not surprised. I can’t imagine they have kitchens like this in that simple-ass, country Army town.”

I shrug my shoulders as I continue to touch the granite. “We sure don’t,” I drawl, trying to sound like the country hick I know she thinks I am for some unknown reason. “But Knox and I make do with our little, simple kitchen. And it just means that we’re more likely to bump into each other in such a tight, little space.” She scowls as I wink at her, and I know she catches my drift. Okay, so we don’t exactly have a small kitchen, but she doesn’t need to know that.

“You and Knox live together?” she asks, eyebrows raised. “I thought he was perpetually single, having sworn off relationships.” I’m curious to know where she heard that, but I’m not going to play into it.

“I guess people change. We’ve only been livin’ together since June. They’ve been the best three months of my life. I just can’t get enough of that man,” I gush, placing my hand over my heart. I know I’m laying it on thick, but the way her face is turning red has me wanting to laugh, and I can’t help myself from teasing her.

She’s about to respond when the door leading outside opens and a tall, attractive man enters the room. There’s no mistaking that he’s a Wellington, and I surmise that this has to be Branson. I can’t help but glare at him for a moment like he’s Public Enemy #1. Fortunately, I catch myself and study him when he joins Megan across the island from me.

He’s a little shorter than Knox, but there’s no doubt that they’re brothers. His eyes are the same green, but they’re tired, worn, with dark circles under them that I can probably attribute to years of working himself to the bone. His blond hair is grown out, perfectly styled. The main difference that I notice is his smile. It’s excruciatingly fake, and I wonder if his jaw hurts by the end of the day from how huge he’s cheesing. Knox, on the other hand, doesn’t know what the hell a fake smile even is. Every single grin, every single smirk, every single heart-stopping smile I get from him is one hundred percent genuine.

“Megan, why don’t you introduce me to your friend?” he asks her, looking me up and down before his eyes settle on my chest. My blood begins to boil, and for a split second, I feel bad that her husband’s got a wandering eye. Then I remember that she picked him over Knox. I should probably send her an anonymous thank-you note.

“This… girl is not my friend,” Megan says emphatically, as if that’d be the worst thing in the world. Branson’s eyebrows rise, looking back and forth between his wife and me.

Reaching out my hand, I shake his. “Charlie Davenport. I’m assuming you’re Branson?” I ask. He nods before bringing my hand to his lips and kissing it. Pulling away, I make a mental note to find the nearest hand sanitizer to rinse his germs off my skin.

The door opens again, and I’m relieved when Cohen enters the room. His eyes light up when he sees me, and even though we only spent a short time together, I’m as equally happy to see a friendly face. He rounds the island and pulls me into his arms, giving me a warm hug as he lifts me off my feet.

“Charlie, it’s so nice to see you. Knox didn’t tell me you were coming. He didn’t tie you up and kidnap you did he?” he asks before setting me back down on my feet.