Alec fingered the knot in his tie in a desperate attempt to loosen the damn thing before it strangled him. Jen and Gracie walked beside him, and even though they were like his own personal army, the thought of seeing Stassi had his mind reeling.

He hadn’t made any attempt to get into contact with her since he’d left the party the week before, but that didn’t mean he’d managed to get her out of his head. He thought about her constantly, wondering where she was and if she was okay. Luckily Cameron had been willing to fill him in on the arrangements for her father. They were just doing a simple burial, then going back to her mother’s home.

“Is that her, Uncle Alec?” Gracie pointed and sure enough, his heart almost stopped.

“Yeah. That’s her.”

“She’s really pretty.”

“She sure is.” Alec put his arm around Gracie’s shoulders and smiled to Jen. “Thanks for coming with me.”

“Of course,” Jen said, adjusting her purse on her shoulder. “Are you ready for this?”

“I guess I have to be.”

Alec saw the Reverend had begun to say a few words, so they went to the side and stood quietly. He saw Cameron and Lacey standing next to Jackson and Gigi, and a woman he assumed to be Stassi’s mother standing beside her, holding her hand.

Stassi looked exhausted. Her long hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, and she wore a long sleeved black dress and flats.

Alec hated seeing her this way, as if the world was lodged on her shoulders. He wanted to be the one to help her support some of the weight, but knew she wouldn’t let him.

The woman beside Stassi looked up and made eye contact with Alec, then a moment later, Stassi looked over.

Alec swallowed the lump in his throat as her blue eyes met his. He gave her a small smile and nodded.

Thank you, she mouthed.

You’re welcome.

He turned his attention back to the Reverend and listened silently as the rest of the service continued. He kept peeking at Stassi, her back straight as a rail, and just wanted to grab her and hug her close.

When the service ended, Stassi finally made her way over to him. She smiled and shook hands with Jen and Gracie first, thanking them for coming, then looked at Alec.

“Hey, guys, can I have a minute with Stassi?”

“Of course.” Jen nodded as she put her arm around Gracie. “We’ll wait in the car.”

Alec shoved his hands in his pocket and watched as his sister and niece walked way, then turned back to Stassi. “How are you?”

“Okay. I think.” Stassi let out a small chuckle, then crossed her arms. “How are you?”

“Fine, fine. I mean, I’m a mess, but I’m fine.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

They stood there silently, neither one really making direct eye contact, feet shuffling in the dirt.

“Look, Alec—”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything. I just…when I found out about the services I felt like I should be here. I know there was some bad stuff with your dad, and I didn’t want you going through everything alone.”

“Thank you. It really means a lot to me that you’re here. You have no idea.” Stassi turned to the fresh plot, then back to Alec. “My dad left us when I was six. He’s been in touch with my mother over the years, but never me. I spoke with him for the first time that night I came into the restaurant to have dinner with you. We’d talked and it didn’t go well, to say the least.” Stassi let out a tired laugh. “For the longest time I hated him. For what he’d done to me. To my mom. For ruining any chance of me ever having a healthy relationship. But now? I think I’m finally realizing that even though he fucked up my past, I’m in charge of my future. And that feels really, really good, you know?”

“Good. I’m glad.” Alec ran his fingers through his hair, then cursed under his breath. “Fuck, Stassi. I swear I had a million things to say and now that I’m here I can’t seem to get a single word out.”

Stassi nodded in reply, apparently having the same issue. “Now’s not really the time, though, right?”

“Probably not. You’re right. Anyway, I need to get to the restaurant, I just wanted to see you.”

“Thank you for coming. It really does mean the world to me. And we’ll talk soon, okay?”

“Definitely.” Alec leaned in and kissed her cheek, but when she turned her face into his, their lips brushed against each other, and it took every ounce of self-control he had not to crush his mouth to hers. “I need you, Stassi.”

“Alec…” Stassi ran the tip of her nose along his, then pulled away. “I have to go. My mom invited everyone over for a few hours. So, you know. Got things to do.”

“Right. Okay.” He took a step back, then looked at her one last time. “Goodbye, Stassi.”

“Bye.”

* * *

“How you doing, girlie?”

“Girlie?” Lacey looked between Stassi and Gigi with raised eyebrows. “Since when do you call her girlie? Shouldn’t you be calling her a hoebag or something?”

Gigi giggled and handed Stassi a lemon cookie. “I don’t think I’ll be calling her such glittering names anymore.”

“Oh really? Did Hell freeze over?”

“No…” Gigi rolled her eyes at Lacey and pursed her lips. “Why are you being so nosey?”

“I’m not. I’m just shocked.”

Stassi smiled and wrapped her arms around Gigi’s shoulders. “We’ve come to an understanding is all. It’s a new road from here on out.”

“Well about damn time.” Lacey threw her hands in the air in excitement. “I see girl’s nights in our future. Sleepovers, trips to the beach, lunches—”

“You act like we don’t do those things already.” Stassi leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. “All except for the sleepover part. We’re a little old for that, don’t you think?”

“I think my sister’s right,” Gigi said, wiping away a few stray crumbs from her mouth. “Sleepovers would be a blast. With scary movies.”

“Hell yes.” Lacey gave Gigi a high five above the table, sending Stassi into a fit of giggles.

Stassi looked around her mother’s small trailer, the trailer she’d grown up in, and saw it in a new light. It was still small and broken in way too many places, too many rooms holding memories she didn’t care to have, but there was a certain amount of warmth where there hadn’t been before. Her past wasn’t suddenly sunshine and rainbows, but something in her had changed. Something big.

“I saw Alec showed up.” Lacey said the words slowly, her eyes pinned on Stassi.

“Who were the other two with him?” Gigi asked.

“His sister and niece,” Stassi answered, folding her hands in her lap. “It was good to see him. I’ve really missed him. Us.”

Lacey nodded. “I’m sure.” Lacey nodded.

Gigi looked back and forth between them, then clapped her hands together and stood. “Okay, if I need to be the one to say it, then I’ll say it. Stassi, you better go get that man.”

“Gigi—”

“Nope. Not listening. He’s head over heels for you; can’t you see that? And I know you feel the same way about him. I’m not saying he’s fixed you or any crap like that, but something in him calls to you. Look at the changes you’ve made recently. You’re sitting in your mother’s house, talking to me, and not ready to jump off a bridge.”

“I’m getting there…” Lacey raised her hand and quickly shielded herself as Gigi smacked her on the shoulder. “What? Your lecturing always drives me to madness.”

“You shush. You know he’s good for her.”

“He is, I agree.” Lacey nodded and chewed her bottom lip as she watched Stassi. “You know he paid for all the food today, right?”

Stassi’s breath caught in her chest. “What?”

“Yes. He paid for all the food, even some for your mother to have this week so she wouldn’t have to worry about cooking.”

“But…” Stassi played with a napkin on the table, tearing it into tiny pieces. “Why would he do that?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Gigi asked. “He loves you.”