I was looking over the final reports I was about to send off for some of our certifications. Briggs’ death and the investigation afterward stalled my focus on the reports, but we were cleared. I put my pen down pinched the bridge of my nose. We may have been cleared officially, but the entire center still felt the guilt of not catching it.

“Are you busy?” Tim stood in the doorway.

I wasn’t sure what to make of him when he got back from Brody’s. He was a different man. He wasn’t the old Tim or the asshole who’d taken over his soul. He was just different.

It was strictly professional any time we spoke. If I so much as brought up anything personal, he’d cut me off to get back to the business or he’d walk away. I took the hint and kept it professional. I struggled at first, but I’d felt better than I had in a long time. Maybe it was the fact that personal business was left in the past or maybe it was just because he was easier to get along with. Either way, the only stress I had the past few weeks after his return was only dealing with the state certifications.

“I’m just going over the reports one more time before I submit them.” I motioned for him to come in.

“You always do a thorough job. I’m sure you’ve nailed this one as well.” He cleared his throat and stood in front of the desk. “I received a rather confusing call a few minutes ago.”

“Oh?” I had gone back to the computer to make sure I saved what work I’d done.

“Yes, from your mother.”

My hand stopped moving the mouse, and all I could do was blink.

“She asked if I could help her with a few things while I was there this weekend.”

I went back to moving the mouse and saving my progress. “What did you tell her?”

“Of course, I would help her. You know I love your mother.”

I looked at him. “But that means you would have to be there.”

He nodded. “That’s right. I plan to be.”

“Um, I’m not sure what to say.”

“I get the feeling she doesn’t know everything that happened between us. In fact, I feel pretty strongly that she thinks we’re still together.”

I put my arm on the desk and hid my face in the crook of my elbow. “Oh, just kill me now.”

He reached over and stopped my other hand from pounding on the desk. “I put you through a lot in the past few years. Let me help make this right. Let me help you explain it to your mother. I understand. I really do.”

I looked up and saw no malice or plans to cause me more pain in his eyes. They held compassion and understanding. “How are you okay with this?”

He took his hand back and shrugged. “It’s the same thing as me not being able to tell Brody we were together. Different reasons but the same thing.”

He was right. He did hide us for a long time. My hiding our breakup wasn’t all that different and it was only months compared to him hiding us for years with Brody. “What are you thinking?”

“I think we should go as if we haven’t broken up at least until the reception is over. Once everyone leaves, we’ll sit your mom down and talk to her. Your dad is not going to be happy with me.” He held a smirk. “I’m not sure he ever really liked me anyway.”

“You know my dad loves you.” I laughed. “It was the sex he didn’t like.”

“I figured as much.” He smiled, but it faded. “So, you’ll let me come home with you and help you settle things? I think we’ll both be okay after this.”

I wasn’t sure I’d ever be okay without the man I loved, but if his okay included a world without me, then it was what I had to do. I smiled even though I didn’t feel it. “Yes, I would appreciate you coming home with me.”

* * *

I overslept and was running late. I should’ve packed my bag the day before, but I was so tired. I just wanted to sleep. I was paying for it now as I ran all over the house to get my stuff together.

There was a knock on the door, and I assumed it was Tim since he was picking me up. I didn’t expect to see Hank. “I’m really late. If you want to talk, you’ll have to follow me.”

He shut the door while I ran to the bathroom to gather more things. “Didn’t you pack already?”

“No, I haven’t had time. I had to get those . . .” I walked out of the bathroom with my arms full and ran into him. “Fuck.”

He turned me toward the bedroom. “Go. I’ll pick these up.”

“Thanks.” I went to the bedroom to put what didn’t fall out of my arms into my bag. “I had to get the reports sent off.”

“Well,” he walked in with my curling iron and my feminine hygiene products, “why didn’t you pack last night?” He looked at the box in his hand. “I would so go on a run for you. You know that, right?”

I rolled my eyes, grabbed the box from his hand, and shoved it into my bag. “I didn’t pack last night because I was too tired. I couldn’t stay awake. I think I finally have a stress-free life and it’s all catching up to me.”

“Yes, because this is stress-free.” He motioned to me running around my room. “You have been doing a lot of work and your period probably does make you tired.”

“Did you come here to lecture me about my lack of packing and my period?”

“No, sorry.” He held my shoulders and made me stop to look at him. “I want to make sure this is what you want to do. I’ll still go with you. I can come with both of you.”

I gripped his wrists. “Thank you so much for your concern, but it will all work out. This is exactly what I need. My mom we’ll see we’re still okay so she won’t worry about me at work. She’ll get on my case about dating again, but I think I’d rather have that than this lie hanging over my head.”

He pulled me close and hugged me. “I know you’re going to come out on top with this. It’s good. It’s a move to go forward.” He lifted his head to look at me. “I can’t wait to swap dating stories. This is going to be so good.”

I held his face and smiled. “Don’t make me hurt you.”

He took my hand and kissed my palm. Neither one of us heard Tim come in.

“I’m sorry.” He backed up toward the door. “I knocked, but no one answered. I figured you were still packing.” He looked to the bed that wasn’t made and back to us. “I’ll wait in the car.”

Hank looked at me. “It isn’t too late to back out.”

“No, I really need to go. Help me take this out, will you?”

* * *

It was a three-hour drive back home. We never did talk much on the way there, so I was used to the silence. Depending how things went with my mom, we might have had an equally quiet drive home. Usually, we spent that time talking about the people we saw. My brothers were always a big topic of conversation. They liked to give Tim a hard time.

“Would you rather have had Hank come?” Tim’s question came out of left field. I didn’t expect it at all.

“He was willing to come if I didn’t have anyone else to come, but I think it’s good that we go and clear the air. We should probably wait until my brothers leave, too.”

He glanced over at me a couple of times. “Yeah, I can take on my brother, but I don’t know about all five of yours at once.”

I laughed. “I don’t think they’d do that to you, but just to be safe.”

“You always had someone to come with you.”

“Yeah, Hank’s a great guy like that. He came with me to Brody’s wedding, too.”

Tim glanced my way again. “No, I mean I would always come with you if you needed someone.”

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t think you’d want to come to another family function again.”

“You came to mine. Just because we aren’t in love with each other anymore doesn’t mean we can’t still care.” He glanced at me. “Right?”

“Right.” I looked out the window. Hearing him say he wasn’t in love with me anymore hurt more than hearing him say he hated me. Maybe it was the confirmation it was over that hurt. “I’m going to take a nap.”

* * *

I felt a warm breeze on my face, but I didn’t open my eyes. I tried to when I felt someone touching my hair. “Just a few more minutes.”

“Hey, we’re almost at your mom’s house. I thought you’d want to wake up and get settled before we show up. Are you feeling okay?”

“Yeah.” I sat up. “I’ve just been really tired.”

“You’ve been under a lot of stress. Maybe this weekend will do you some good. Going to Brody’s helped me a lot.”

I smiled and touched his face. “I noticed.” I reached over and unbuckled the seat belt as I yawned. “I need to go to the bathroom, and then we can head to my mom’s.”

Tim was sitting on the hood of his car when I came back out. “Isn’t that hot?”

“Not really. I let you sleep for a little longer when we pulled in.”

I looked at my phone for the time. “You should’ve woken me as soon as we pulled in. Let’s go so they don’t start to worry.”

“I told your mom we’d be an hour late.”

I stopped and looked at him. “Look at you being all attentive.” I held my hand up. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“You’re right. I wasn’t very attentive to you or your needs when we were together.” He opened the car door for me. “Come on. Let’s get you home.”