Chapter 38
Chapter Thirty-Eight
S itting on a bench, I watched as the sun slowly sank into the horizon, thinking about the past and questioning my future.
The funeral was over, and now I had to decide a path for my future. I had nothing left here in New York except Anthony, and I'd built the start to a great life in Florida, so it was obvious where I'd live, but Nick and I's future was still a little foggy.
I understood why he did what he did, and I knew that Emmett's death wasn't on Nick's hands, but it didn't change the damage the secrets and lies caused. Part of me thought it was best if Nick and I were friends, but the other part was still madly in love with him. I wasn't sure I could get past all the hurt.
"Olivia."
My gaze snapped up, and I smiled. "Anthony."
Anthony lowered himself onto the bench, the familiar creak of wood echoing two decades of conversations. "Are you okay?"
My fingernail traced endless figure-eights in the weathered grain. "Yeah. I'm just sitting here trying to figure out my future." The words caught in my throat. "There's nothing left for me here."
"Olivia." His calloused fingers stilled my restless hand, bearing the same gentleness he'd shown when bandaging my scraped knees as a child. "I will always be here if you need me."
I rested my head against his shoulder, breathing in the faint scent of his aftershave—the same brand he'd worn since I was little. "I know." A wistful smile tugged at my lips. "But I don't want you to worry about me anymore. I want you to send me postcards from whatever exotic island you and your wife land on." My voice softened. "I want you to enjoy your retirement."
He leaned his cheek against the top of my head. "I'm going to be okay."
Anthony shifted on the bench, squaring his shoulders the way he always had before delivering unwanted advice. "I would feel better if you stayed with Nick for at least a little while." He cleared his throat. "Just until we are sure there's no more threats to you."
My fingers twisted the black fabric of my dress until my knuckles went white. "I don't know if that's a good idea." Nick's name alone made my chest constrict, memories crowding in like unwanted guests.
Anthony turned toward me, his expression carrying the same careful concern he'd worn through every crisis of my life. "Are you still angry with him?
The setting sun painted golden streaks across my vision as tears welled up. "No." The word came out raw, honest. "I'm hurt."
I sat up straight, staring off into the distance. "He hid everything from me, and maybe if he hadn't..."
"You can't think like that, Olivia." He twisted on the bench, pulling his knee up. "Put yourself in his shoes now that you have all the information. Now that you know all the guilt he'd been harboring. What would you have done differently if you'd been in his position?" I opened my mouth but snapped it shut when he cut me off again. "Make sure you consider that he's head over heels in love with you."
Blowing out a heavy sigh, I considered the situation. If I took the way I felt about all of this out of the equation, I would probably have done the same thing.
"He didn't lie or hide the truth to hurt you, Olivia. He did it to protect you. All he wanted to do was try to fix this situation, and by the time he realized he couldn't, everything came crumbling down fast."
I nodded. I knew that nothing Nick did was malicious.
"If you don't feel the same about him, I understand, but you should tell him that. If you do, don't let this be why you walk away from him. Don't let Emmett ruin anything else in your life. Regardless of your decision, Nick is all the family you have left, and you are all the family he has left. You two are going to need each other."
"I love him." The words escaped in barely more than a whisper, but they felt solid, true.
Anthony's smile crinkled the corners of his eyes. "Then go back to Florida and take things one day at a time."
My shoulders relaxed for the first time since the funeral. "I'm ready to go home."
And now, home was in Florida with Nick.