Page 161 of Small Town, Big Storm

Hollyis too important.

“You’re right,” I say.“I wasn’t here, and I’m so sorry I wasn’t.”

Her face screws up and she looks away.

“I’d give anything to go back and change that, to be here with you and your mom for the last seven years.”I pause and I hate what I have to say next.But I can’t lie to her.Iwon’t.“I wish I could time travel, could wave a magic wand and make everything different.But I can’t change what happened, what we missed out on.All I can do is promise to be here now, to make sure I don’t waste any more time with you or your mom.”

She stares down at her feet, heaves out a heavy sigh.

“I know it probably doesn’t feel good to hear that,” I say gently.“And I definitely know it’s doesn’t make everything okay.”

“It’s not fair,” she mutters.

“No, it’s not.”

She falls quiet again, still staring at her feet.

“Sometimes when I feel really angry, I shoot pucks,” I offer.

Finally, she looks up, her gray eyes that are so much like mine filled with curiosity instead of anger.“Why?”

“Because it helps me feel less mad when I do something physical.”

“Will it work for me?”

“I don’t know,” I tell her honestly.“But if it doesn’t, we’ll figure out what does.”

More quiet, her gaze drifting away.

Then, “Ice cream makes me feel happy.”

I smile.“Then it’s a good thing we have the best flavor ever to help us.”

She nods sagely then points at the playground.“Do you think slides will make me feel happy?”

“I don’t know,” I say again.“But I do know thatyouwon’t know until you try.”

Her eyes light up.“Okay.But I want to finish my ice cream first.”

“Sounds like a?—”

“HONK!”

I jerk at the deafening noise, whipping around to see that?—

“Fuck,” I mutter.

“That’s a bad word,” Holly says.

I don’t have time to apologize.Again.

Because with his wings flapping, his honks filling the air, Gerald is lurching toward us.

No.

Towardme.

No.