Chapter 43

I’d been here for days and hadn’t seen any of Macy’s children or grandchildren visit. I didn’t inquire. She seemed to consider Hayden and me as her own.

One night, while preparing for bed, Lena called, asking when I planned to return.

“I haven’t decided yet,” I told her. “I’m really happy here. It’s the happiest I’ve been since my parents passed away.”

I even considered extending my leave, staying until I grew weary of the place.

“Maybe you don’t want to leave because of that soldier,” Lena teased.

Thinking about my few, oddly heart-stirring interactions with Hayden, I said, “I wouldn’t say I can’t leave, but when he’s around, my heart definitely feels more alive.”

“Sounds like you’re healing pretty well,” Lena joked.

I remained silent for a moment, then Lena asked, “Has that jerk Jace contacted you at all? Not even a text?”

I licked my lips. “…No.”

Lena scoffed. “He thinks you’ll never leave him.”

I knew she was right. Staring at the moonlight outside my window, I murmured, “This time, I’ll show him.”

I fell asleep while talking to Lena, waking before dawn to find the call had ended. Lena left a message: [No one is indispensable.]

I thought to myself, That’s right, I can live without Jace. These past few days have proven it. I ate well and slept well.

I smiled softly, ready to drift off again when my phone beeped with a message. “Who would text me in the middle of the night?”

I opened my eyes and froze. The message was from Jace: [Come back when you’re done sulking!!]

Just those few words, but I could feel his anger. I’ve been gone so long, and now he decides to message me? And he still thinks I was just sulking—totally clueless about his mistakes?

I ignored it and switched off my phone.

Unable to sleep, I got out of bed and wandered into the yard, standing under the ginkgo tree. I heard the creak of a door and turned to see Hayden emerging, a backpack on his shoulders and a suitcase in tow.

He looked surprised to see me, pausing briefly before silently continuing his departure.

“Where are you going?” I blurted out.

“Out of Chiverton,” he said, without slowing, and in no time, he was out of the yard.

I stood there, dazed, before heading toward his room.

To my surprise, the door was unlocked. I pushed it open and flicked on the light. His room came into view, both exactly and nothing like I expected. The bed was made with military precision, and everything was arranged meticulously. What I didn’t expect was that so many of the items looked old, at least ten years old.

Thinking about the scene my father had described, I couldn’t shake the feeling that these were the items my parents had left behind.

When Macy found me still in the room, she seemed to read my mind. Without my asking, she explained, “These things were left by your parents. I wanted to replace them when I tidied up the room you’re in now, but Hayden insisted on keeping them, saying they were just fine.”

I touched the items, feeling a pang in my heart. With these belongings here, I felt an even stronger desire to stay, even if Hayden had left.

But then I received a voice call from Demi, who sounded on the verge of tears: “Keira, the amusement park’s lighting system is totally messed up. You need to get back here.”