I freeze, captured by Willow’s revelations. She and Dax don’t talk much about that time, not now or back then.
“For months, Dax walked around, lost and confused and empty. It was extremely painful, seeing him that way. I felt guilty because I was adding more to his plate. He was only eighteen, a kid himself, raising another kid. A crazy teen at that.” She shakes her head and tugs at her sleeves, then holds her hand up when I go to speak up for Dax. “I know he’d do anything for me, but the truth is, it was hard to let him. But you, Clara, you were his light. He was closed off for a while, but when he talked to you, even through a brief text, his whole body relaxed. Thanks to you, I saw glimpses of the real Dax, even if it didn’t last long.”
I gulp, and a few tears escape.
“I’m not telling you any of this to make you feel bad, but I want you to know he never outwardly lied to you. He’s always cared about you as a friend and more. He’s every bit the man you’ve known, but he’s more too.” She squeezes my hand again, her voice shaky. “I don’t want him to end up alone. I want him to be happy, and you make him happy.”
Zach returns with two drinks, interrupting us before I can respond, although I wouldn’t know how to. I thank him for my drink, then clear my throat and point them in the direction of food.
I need to catch my breath.
Once I’m inside the house, I race up the stairs to fix my makeup before someone stops me to ask what’s wrong.
What would I say?
What will I do?
I dab at the corners of my eyes where mascara has smeared, thinking back to over fifteen years ago. The silence from Dax that followed his parents’ tragedy—I couldn’t bear it, but I knew it’s what he needed. It didn’t stop me from crying myself to sleep, night after night, though.
He was hurting and angry, and I felt like I was losing him.
After a few deep breaths, I pull myself together and head downstairs to join the party. I find Sienna in the kitchen with Andrew. He’s showing her a bottle of wine, describing its notes of eucalyptus.
“It’s my favorite red wine,” I interject.
“See what I told you? It’s good.” He winks at her.
As he walks away, Sienna gives me a hug. “Did you know he’s from a village? Like an actual village in Greece, where there were only four other families?” Her eyes are wide with disbelief, shuddering like he told her he’s from the moon. “Maybe my father does love me at least a little. He could’ve banished me to live like mole people in a village.”
“You should hear his stories about his parents stitching their own clothes.”
“No.” She gasps like I told her there’d been a devastating earthquake.
I’m about to say something when my mom opens the sliding door, and I hear a deep rumble of laughter.
A familiar voice.
My body erupts with goose bumps just like that, without even laying eyes on him.
Since when did I start responding to Dax this way, from just the sound of his voice?
I peer outside. His messy hair flies backward as he runs after Jacob around the yard. They chase each other with Nerf guns. He’s good with Jacob. Even at breakfast and the winery, being with Dax and Jacob felt natural and fun and normal. Dax would easily have a place in our lives.
If I let him.
“Honey, this is an amazing cake.” I jump at my mother’s voice, forgetting she stepped into the kitchen. “Oh, didn’t mean to scare you. If I were daydreaming about a certain doctor, I’d be startled too.”
Sienna snorts. I glare at her, and she holds her hands up. “I brought the cake. My work here is done, so I’ll be outside. There’s some celery calling my name.”
When I turn toward my mom, she winks and sets the cake on the counter. “I wasn’t thinking about Dax. I was just, um, making sure Jacob is okay.” My cheeks flush. My own mother caught me staring at a guy. “Is it hot in here or what?”
“Go outside and cool off. I’ll take care of the candles and bring out the cake in a minute.”
“Are we ready for cake yet? The party just started.”
“That’s why we should cut the cake now, so people can eat it before they leave.”
“Whatever you say.”
“Damn right.”
I smile, leaning down to kiss her cheek. “Thanks for helping. Are you sure you don’t need anything?”
“No, no. Go. Enjoy the party.”
I’m just opening the sliding door to the backyard when the front door clicks. Behind me, my dad saunters in with his wife, Izzy. Both their arms are full of presents, and instead of going outside, I take some of their load off.
“You realize only one kid is having a birthday today, right? You brought enough gifts for a whole little league baseball team.” I stand on my tiptoes to give my dad a peck on the cheek, then hug Izzy.
“It’s my job as the grandpa to spoil him. If I didn’t bring him at least five gifts on his birthday, I wouldn’t be living up to the grandpa standards,” he reasons.
“Well, thank you. He’ll be really excited to open them.”
I smile when my dad gives my mom a one-armed hug. Then, she and Izzy catch up about her daughter.
“She’s in Seattle now, right?” my mom asks her.
“Yes, and she is just loving it. I don’t imagine she’ll come visit much, but that just gives us more of a reason to travel.” Izzy winks toward my dad, who’s grabbing a beer from the refrigerator.
“We’ll take the RV.”
“The RV? Good Lord, Terry. Where would we park that monstrosity? There’s no room downtown.” Izzy shakes her head.
“Why’d she have to get an apartment downtown, anyway?”
My mom chuckles. “You still have that RV?”
“Like I’d get rid of that beauty.” My dad rolls his eyes just as Andrew walks in.
“Terry,” he greets them with open arms. He shakes my dad’s and Izzy’s hands, and they stand around talking as I back away, admiring their relationship.
I’m lucky there’s no bad blood between them. My parents’ divorce was amicable, relieving me of any stress over holidays and such, especially after I had Jacob. They all get along so well, and Andrew has been a wonderful addition to the family, we usually all do one big holiday dinner together.
I inch toward the sliding glass door again until my back touches it. Reaching behind me, I go for the handle, but it slowly slides open. Turning, I bump into Dax. “Hi,” I breathe, his lips close to mine when I look up.
He licks those perfect lips of his, making my heart rate sputter.
“Hey,” he says.
It’s so simple, but given the last several days, his greeting is enough to warm my chest and settle my nerves.
“Dax,” my dad calls to him.
“There’s the man.” Dax’s smile grows wide, and he tries to take a step around me but stops.
His shirt is twisted in my fist on his chest.
I drop my hand quickly and clear my throat.
He moves to shake my dad’s hand, and they hug each other like they’re having a reunion, even though I know they go fishing together often.
My mom and dad were close with Dax’s parents. Once Dax lost them, mine stepped in to help as much as they could. It’s what family does—we show up for each other, just like Dax did today for Jacob, despite what’s going on between us.