Chapter Two
Travis sat in his truck, staring out the windshield.
The landscape surrounding Brantley’s property was dotted with maple trees and dogwoods, some of them starting to change colors as fall settled in. Others, like the live oaks, were still lush and green, daring the season to change.
That was Texas for you.
He saw none of it. Not even the reds and oranges that his wife had loved.
Had Kylie been alive, their house would’ve been decorated for fall already.
Signs and wagons on the front porch, arrangements of fake flowers, seasonal throw pillows and blankets scattered in the living room.
There would be figurines in the kitchen and colorful pictures that the kids had drawn on the refrigerator.
But his house wasn’t decorated for fall because his wife wasn’t alive. Kylie was dead, a piece of his heart right along with her.
Travis glanced down at his wedding ring.
It wasn’t the one he’d worn when she was alive.
No, that one had been melted down and used in the new set he and Gage wore at her request, the diamonds used to create necklaces for Kate and Avery.
All because Kylie had the forethought to leave them a letter in the event of her death.
Something Travis had never even considered.
Then again, Kylie had been the planner, the one who thought of everyone but herself.
As he did almost daily, Travis pulled out his wallet and retrieved the letter. The paper was beginning to thin, threatening to tear along the creases, so he unfolded it gently and started to read.
Dear Travis and Gage,
If you’re reading this, it means I’m no longer of this earth, and I have to hope it’s after we’ve lived a long, happy life together.
After my babies have grown up, graduated high school, college, gotten married.
But if for some reason it’s not, then you should know that every second I had with the two of you and the five of them made for a life more complete than I ever thought possible.
If there was some unfortunate event that took me from this world, then there are some things I need you to do for me.
Things that might be difficult because, if nothing else, I know exactly who my men are.
I know how you both think; I know how you both love.
And I know without a doubt that the two of you will retreat because you think it will benefit the other in some way.
First of all, that’s complete nonsense and you should move forward remembering that every single day.
While I have never doubted for a single second how much I am loved by both of you, I also know how much you love each other.
If I have a say in the matter, Travis, you won’t be stubborn, and Gage, you won’t let him be.
You will both suck it up and move forward, hand in hand, where you belong.
Provided these still make sense, here are the things I need you to do for me:
~ Take my wedding band and my engagement band and have them melted down, along with both of yours.
But don’t worry, I don’t want you to be without them for long.
From those, have new bands made, one for each of you.
That way, you will both have a part of me with you forever.
After all, the three of us are stronger together, even if we aren’t all there.
His throat tightened, a familiar reaction to his life these days.
They had done as Kylie requested, melting down her wedding rings and using them to create new ones that they now wore.
Travis couldn’t say that he felt closer to her because of it, but every time he saw the ring, it was a reminder of what was missing.
~ Now for the diamonds. They don’t melt, so I would like you to take the diamonds in my rings and make them into necklaces for our daughters. One for Kate, one for Avery. I want them to have a little part of me with them always. You can give them to them whenever you feel is the right time.
They had done that part, too. The diamonds from her band were now in new settings, which dangled from gold chains that Kate and Avery wore for special occasions.
They’d allowed the girls to pick out jewelry boxes to keep their necklaces in, to keep them safe.
Kate would sneak hers from its box and tuck it under her pillow at night, though she didn’t think they knew.
~ For Kade, Haden, and Maddox, I’ve set aside some things that belonged to my father, things he has given me over the years.
There’s an old compass that belonged to his grandfather.
One of them might like that. There’s also the toolbox my dad gave me when I first moved out on my own.
Nothing fancy, but I know Kade has enjoyed helping me with projects.
Also, the miniature airplane collection.
I’ll let them or you decide who gets what. Hopefully, there won’t be any fighting.
They hadn’t yet completed that task because they were waiting until the boys were older. Kade was six, so Travis figured they still had some time yet.
~ As a family, I would like y’all to plant a tree for me.
More than one, preferably. Yes, even now, I want to help the environment.
Hopefully, if this time ever comes, the kids’ll be old enough to select one they know I would’ve liked.
I leave it to both of you to decide where.
But if you’re having a hard time, I think a magnolia tree would look lovely in Curtis and Lorrie’s front yard.
They’d completed that almost immediately after her death.
There were now magnolia trees in his parents’ yard, as well as in Jessie’s and their own.
There were times when Travis would catch Gage sitting on the porch, staring at the tree, oblivious to everything around him.
It was in those times his heart broke even more, knowing he couldn’t heal the man he loved any more than he could heal himself.
In an attempt to clear the tears forming, Travis diverted his attention to his surroundings.
His gaze darted to the barn where his cousin remained.
He wanted to tell Brantley and his team that they were on a fool’s errand.
That there was no way his wife was alive.
He’d seen her body the day she died. Broken and battered and so very still after the doctors failed to save her life.
Was that the last time he saw her? Had to be.
Gage had convinced him that a closed casket was necessary because the kids wouldn’t be able to handle seeing their mother in an unanimated state.
The funeral home director had chimed in, earnestly advising that it would be much easier on the children.
Travis had agreed because it made sense at the time.
A tear trickled down his cheek. He didn’t bother wiping it away. They still fell on a daily basis, but he did his best not to let Gage or the kids know that he hadn’t stopped mourning. They would’ve understood because they still did, but he didn’t want to burden them with it.
He turned his attention back to the letter, resumed reading.
~ And last but not least, I want the two of you to get married. It’s what I’ve always wanted, although it was never an option. We did things our way, the three of us, but now it’s time for the two of you to move forward. Together.
And yes, they could check that one off the list, too. Travis had married Gage in front of the magnolia tree in his parents’ front yard. That day had been bittersweet.
I hope you both know that I love you with my whole heart.
I am truly blessed to call you both husband.
Sure, it might mean that I’ve had to complain about two pairs of socks on the floor or ask twice before someone agrees to take the trash out, but in return, I’ve received twice as much love as most women get.
I wouldn’t trade our life for the world, and no matter what happens or when, you should both know that I’ve had the best life anyone could be lucky enough to have.
Love always and forever,
Kylie
Taking a deep breath, he resigned himself to going home. After carefully returning the letter to his wallet, Travis backed out of Brantley’s driveway, keeping his foot steady on the accelerator rather than slamming it to the floor the way he wanted. He needed to remain calm, to think this through.
Should he tell Gage? Would Gage benefit from having this information? Doubtful. It would only hurt him because every time they dredged up the past, they both experienced a setback. To the point Travis had to wonder whether they would ever move on.
He could pretend the conversation with Brantley never happened.
Not until there was some definitive proof.
Because, come on … Kylie alive? Yeah, it would be an answer to his prayers, but Travis knew that it wasn’t possible.
It was Holt’s fiction wreaking havoc with reality.
The man was clearly off his rocker if he thought for one second that some rogue group of corrupt government officials kidnapped his wife and was holding her captive somewhere in an effort to take down Max Adorite.
Max fucking Adorite. The head of the Adorite Crime Family. Or the Southern Boy Mafia, as the media preferred to call them.
Travis knew Max. He wouldn’t say they were friends, but they were probably more than acquaintances.
After all, Max had done Travis a solid by tracking down the woman who killed Kylie and taking her out of this world for good.
Travis owed Max for that, and he knew he would one day be called upon to pay that debt.
Not that he minded. He didn’t lose a minute of sleep over the fact that Juliet Prince was dead.