“Hey Phil, how’s it going?” I acknowledge to the postman as he walks into the diner.

“Not too bad. Glad it’s not raining today, the last few days have really made my job less than desirable.” I laugh at him knowing he would never flat out say he hates his job when it rains. “I saw that I had a package for you that needed to be signed for and decided to bring it here since you weren’t home. Hope that’s alright.”

“Of course. No idea what it is but thanks. Have a great day,” I say as I sign for the thick manila envelope. I watch him walk out before bringing the envelope to the counter and ripping it open. “Holy fuck.”

“What’s wrong?” Ivy asks as she emerges out of the kitchen covered in flour from her new attempt at baking.

I can’t give her an answer as I stare at the papers in front of me in disbelief. She looks over my shoulder trying to get a glimpse before she screams, “Holy fucking shit.”

Luckily the Sergeants left twenty minutes ago and there are only two tables with people in the diner and they don’t seem to give a shit about mine or Ivy’s vulgar outburst.

“How did this even happen? Something has to be wrong,” I say as I read over the documents from my lawyer. Everything. I got everything. Every single dime that was considered equal property between the two of us went to me. Ivy rips the letter from my lawyer out of my hand. “’Due to unforeseen circumstances, you are no longer needed to appear in court as the judge has decided that all properties and monetary ownership be issued to Harper Edith Evans. A check from the defendant is enclosed with half the funds owed. The rest of the monetary agreement will be paid through alimony payments from Andrew Adam Lawson. Due to the length of the marriage alimony payments will be extended to match the years of marriage in the length of three years. Monthly payments will be issued in the amount of $13,889.’ What the holy fuck?” Ivy scrambles through the rest of the papers in front of me and pulls out a check for five hundred thousand dollars. “You are a freaking millionaire!” she shrieks.

I rip the check out of her hand. “You mind keeping it down? I don’t need everyone here to know.”

“Sweetie, everyone is gonna know regardless of if I opened my mouth or not.” She glances down at the check again, disbelief flooding her face. “Harp, you told me you all had money up north, but I didn’t realize this much money!”

“Yeah, well I don’t like to talk about it. Part of the money was my trust fund that I made the mistake of allowing him access to. He also made a shit ton of money at his job. That’s why I lived the lifestyle I did.” I look down at the letter and the check completely confused. “I have no idea why I got all this though. My trust fund was only five hundred thousand. He was the one that worked. I didn’t make anywhere near the money he made. I think I need to call my lawyer.”

“I think we need to celebrate. Lawyers can be called later. Party planning now. And shopping! We have to go shopping!” Ivy jumps up and down.

I laugh as I put my hands on her shoulders. “We can celebrate. Absolutely. I just want to find out why this happened. I have no idea why I was never needed in court. I only signed a few statements. My lawyer was convinced I would have to go to court. This makes no sense.”

“Well call your damn lawyer. I am going to plan a party.”

I shake my head as I walk away from Ivy, utterly blown away and confused.

My conversation with my lawyer nearly blew my mind. Apparently, two of the women Drew had an affair with wrote statements on my behalf. The judge also disagreed with Drew keeping my dog despite the fact Poe was stolen, technically. The judge empathized with me on the entire situation. The kicker was the fact Drew had been taking money out of my trust to invest in overseas companies that had illegal ties. The FBI was in the middle of an investigation which was the reason the case was held up for so long. The judge was sick of waiting and made an agreement with the FBI so our case could be closed. I guess the extra five hundred thousand dollars was nothing compared to the money that was overseas. And if Drew was found guilty, his legal cash assets would be given to me immediately.

Ivy was just as dumbfounded as I was. We closed the diner down right at three p.m. We both went back to Easton’s to get ready for the party she apparently put together in the twenty minutes I was on the phone with my lawyer. Despite the fact we were just going to Sawyer’s I decked myself out in one of my party dresses, a beautiful light pink sheath with a lace overlay and plunging neckline. I felt like I needed to tape the girls in, but Ivy insisted I leave it natural. She donned one of my little black dresses that I knew she needed to keep. It was an over-the-top silver metallic dress with a fringe bottom. It brought together the best of my world and hers.

As we both strapped on some heels, she leaned into my shoulder. “You know I am so happy you got stuck in this town. Despite our fight a few weeks ago and obviously none of this has got to do with your money” —she winks at me— “you are one of the best friends I’ve ever had, and I just want you to know you are one of the best people to ever stumble into my life and I love you.”

I lean into her and hug her letting her know I feel the same. We wipe tears from our eyes as we stand up and descend the stairs. “Wait, before we go to your divorce party we need to have a shot and a toast.”

I follow her into the kitchen as she grabs a bottle of whiskey and pours two shots. She passes one over and says, “To burning our pasts and living our futures.” I clink her glass as I smile and down the shot.

“Well, I sure as hell feel underdressed!” Summer screeches as she struts into the bar. She isn’t. Ivy must have told her we were dressing up. She has on a sleek hot pink number that puts her boobs on display and I was sure if she even bent over an inch her ass would hang out. We all giggled at each other as we complimented our outfits.

“Y’all would think I was turning this place into a nightclub,” Trace comments as he leans between us to grab his beer off the high-top table.

Ivy shoves him, “Oh hush you. I know damn well you appreciate what I am wearing.” She pressed her hand down the length of her body while giving her husband a sex kitten pout.

“I’d like it better on the floor,” Trace grumbled. Ivy went to grab for his hand and I knew she wanted to go to the office, but Easton walked over at that moment and slapped Trace on the shoulder. Ivy’s pout became more prominent and I had to hold back a laugh. Thank god for birth control because I swear she would have fifteen kids by now with her and Trace’s extracurriculars.

“You hogging all these fine ladies?” Easton asks just as Brett walks over.

“He can have whomever he wants except Mrs. Anderson,” Brett chimes in. Summer leans into him. “I only got eyes for you, Mr. Anderson.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at that and smile as I looked around at all of us, my new family. For the first time in a long time I felt so happy I thought I was going to burst. Easton pressed a kiss to my temple and grabbed my ass before walking over to the bar.

I gossiped with the girls until Easton got back. I figured we should talk about the divorce being finalized. All I was able to do was send him a text. He walks over with a tray of shots and calls everyone else over, Grace, Charlotte, Bella, and Brooks. He passes out the shots and raises his glass, “To my girl, Harper, finally being a free woman legally!”

“Not for long!” Ivy shouts while we all throw back the whiskey. I nearly choke when she says it but manage to keep my graceful self from spewing my shot all over Easton. He smacks Ivy on the side of the head before he pulls me into him and kisses me on the lips with a big smack. I wrap my arms around him and thank him for putting up with me. He shrugs and says, “Edy if we met and you were still married I would have done everything in my power to make you mine.”

I blush and give him a proper kiss just as someone screams, “What the hell?” I freeze and feel myself shrinking as I pull away from Easton. I would know that voice anywhere. It was one I used to love.

Drew approaches our party looking as handsome as he always did with his worn jeans and polo shirt, his hair slicked back and clean-shaven face. But his fists are clenched, and I can see the vein in his neck, the tell-tale signs of his anger.

Easton must realize who it is right away because he sweeps me behind him and stands his ground.

“Get out of my way, bro. I need to talk to that bitch.”

“I don’t see any bitches here.” I clench at Easton’s statement because I know that will only piss Drew off more. “And I’m not your bro.”

“I am pretty sure you were just kissing my wife. And that’s the bitch I was talking about.” Sometimes I don’t understand how Drew got where he was because he is an idiot.

Easton clears his throat and steps closer to Drew. “I am well aware of who you were referring to, but I believe you’re wrong on two counts. One, Harper isn’t a bitch. A bit crazy but not a bitch.” Oh, he is so not getting laid for that. “Two, last I heard, which was a few hours ago, she isn’t your wife anymore.”

Drew scowls at Easton so hard I fear the line between his eyes may become permanent. “She fucking lied to the judge to get that money. She doesn’t deserve any of it. Fucking lying bitch. Now if you would please get out of my way so I can talk to her, I would much appreciate it.”

Ivy slides over next to me and grabs my hand. I realize the entire bar is watching us and I am getting a bit worried about Drew because I am sure everyone here would back up Easton.

Easton scratches the back of his neck. “You know I am pretty sure she didn’t lie to anyone.”

“You have no idea what you are talking about. She was just a money hungry whore that wanted her way with me,” Drew growled. This was a side of him I had never seen before. I knew he would get angry, but this was in a whole different class. He was a stranger to me now.

I can’t take this anymore, so I release Ivy’s hand and walk in front of Easton. His hands are on my waist immediately trying to stop me from approaching Drew. “Drew, you know none of this is true. We loved each other. It was me and you through college and moving to Chicago and so many other things. We just lost our way.” I try to reach out for Drew despite the pull of Easton on my hips but Drew pushes me away.

“Fuck you. You’re too busy fucking this cowboy over here to even remember what we were like.” He spits on me as he yells and that’s when I can smell the liquor on his breath.

“Drew, I remember everything. But we grew apart. You know this was best for both of us.”

He sighs and rolls his eyes. “Best for both of us? Really? You think you getting all my money while I get shit and get investigated by the FBI is best for both of us? You’re fucking wrong. You screwed me over again. Just like you always did.”

I start to lose it as my own anger takes over. “I screwed you over?!” I yell. “I am pretty sure you were screwing me over when you decided to screw a bunch of whores!” I start to lose control as I release everything I felt but never said to him.

“Well if you actually let me fuck you then maybe I wouldn’t have needed anyone else to do the job.”

I lose it. He has me seeing red. I can’t believe he would say this in front of other people much less say it at all. I lunge forward ready to hit him just as Easton pulls me back and pushes me behind him. Drew apparently doesn’t care because he tries to grab for me. Easton goes to push him back and Drew switches positions and decks him in the face. Easton barely stumbles and throws two punches right back at him. Before I can say or do anything, Trace has him by the collar of his now ripped polo and is dragging him out of the bar with the help of Brett and Brooks.

Easton turns around and his left cheek has a gash in it. I grab some napkins off the table and dab at his cheekbone. “Oh my god, I am so sorry East. None of this should have happened. This is all my fault. I just—”

He places his fingers over my mouth. “This ain’t your fault. I’m just glad I got hit and not you. But seriously why were you married to that, what do you call him? Douche turd? For three years?”

I can’t help but laugh as I jump in his arms and plant a kiss on his mouth.

I hear the bar door slam and pull away from Easton’s devouring kiss to see Trace walking over to us.

“Oh my god Trace, I am so sorry I did not want to put you or the bar in that situation.”

He waves me off. “Harp don’t worry about it. Shit happens all the time.”

I grumble as I say, “Yeah, but you don’t deserve my drama in here. And you could have gotten hurt. I don’t know what came over him.”

A chuckle escapes Trace. “I think a fifth of booze is what came over him. And if I recall correctly, you brought some drama here yourself that first night you walked into my bar, little lady. At least you didn’t punch any faces though.”

I blush, still embarrassed over my drunken antics from months back. “Yeah, well shit happens all the time, right?”

“You know it,” he says as he starts to walk to Ivy. He turns around and says, “I don’t care about any of it. I’m just glad that you aren’t with that asshole anymore.”

“Cheers to that!” I laugh. Easton kisses me on the cheek and heads off to the bar to grab another round.

“Are y’all celebrating a breakup? ‘Cause I sure hope so.”

What the hell is Quinn doing here?

“Easton finally realize you ain't no good for him?” she spits.

“Quite the opposite actually,” Easton says as he saunters back over.

I look at Quinn and resist my urge to punch her in the face. “Whatever you and Easton had is in the past, he has moved on, as should you. So please just leave us alone. I won’t ask you again.”

She rolls her eyes at me. “Well, he didn’t seem to move on last night when he was with me.”

“Really? We practically live together Quinn, I know you two weren’t together last night nor will you ever be.”

She grins at me. “Not until he leaves you just like your ex-husband did.”

I see red again. Not because I think Easton would do that but because I am so sick of this skank and her need to be in my business. I slap her across the face before I can think twice about it.

“You bitch!” she shrieks.

I blink away the shock of my outburst to see Trace dragging Quinn out of the bar. As he walks back in he says, “You gonna need me to kick anyone else out tonight?”

We all just laugh and continue to celebrate.

I sit cuddled in a blanket on the wraparound at Easton’s home, well, now my home and it’s crazy to think that I found myself a permanent place to call home, a word I haven’t felt in so long. But as I sit here surrounded by friends as the kids play with Poe and a smile cracks my face, I can’t help but be grateful for all the negative things that happened in my life that led me here, to this place, to this moment. Our bellies are full as we sip on hard cider and watch the sunset over the hills.

To think a year ago I was in Chicago dressed to the nines at a fancy fundraiser to being in leggings and slippers wrapped in the arms of the man I love. As I look back, I can’t think of when I fell out of love with Drew. I always thought it was when I found him cheating on me but as I try to remember a moment like this, moments that there are no words for, moments that just feel right, where nothing else matters except for what is happening right now, I can’t remember any. At least as of recently, even my wedding to Drew was a stiff formal engagement that left me longing for something more intimate. Maybe back when we were in college when nothing mattered except our plans for the weekend and passing our finals. When we could be more carefree, not burdened by careers and finances and social soirees that were just a battle for popularity and wealth. Out here I feel carefree. The burdens of adulthood don’t weigh as heavily when you can have moments like these. Moments where we stop to smell the flowers, watch the sunset, laugh, and overindulge. These moments that are missing pieces in most of our lives.

I smile at the thought of my missing pieces being found. East toasted at Thanksgiving dinner and said just that, “To finding the missing pieces in our lives.” My heart swelled at the statement as he gave me a wink. I am not sure anyone else understood his toast, but it meant everything to me.

I look at the man whose arms are wrapped around me and place a chaste kiss to his lips. This right here is what I had been looking for all along. I know this is exactly where I want to be.

The continuous buzzing of a phone wakes me up. I roll over to turn it off but it’s not mine, it’s Easton’s and he is already moving around the room pulling up a pair of pants.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” he whispers into the phone. “Yes, I know it’s serious, but it’s four a.m. I was asleep.”

I hear mumbling on the other end, but I’m unable to make out the words. “I’ll be there as fast as I can,” he sighs into the phone running a hand through is hair. “Yeah, I know. I love you too.”

Easton walks over and sits on the edge of the bed, leans over, and kisses me with hesitation. He mustn’t realize I am awake. As my eyes adjust to the darkness, I can see something is off. There is a wrinkle between his eyes he only gets when he is frustrated or hiding something. I try not to read into it, but it’s hard not to. I know he doesn’t like to talk about Raelynn, not until after the fact, but something about his kiss is like kissing a stranger.

He presses his lips to my forehead one more time and then he leaves, and I can’t help but shiver as a feeling of dread moves through my body.