Page 68 of The Embers That Remain

“So this is the utility closet?” I asked with a raised brow as if this were part of the tour.

“Yes, Ms. Walton.” He opened the door and then proceeded to show me every nook and cranny of the building to the point that I visualized choking him at least a dozen more times. The tour ended in the same boardroom where I had met with Sawyer.

Lane grabbed a folder, took a seat, and flipped it open like he’d done this many times before.

“Sawyer made some recommendations based on the forms you completed, but ultimately where you volunteer is your choice. It says here high school math tutor, first aid training, or assisting with self-defense classes at the gym. Do any of those sound of interest to you?” He looked up, pen poised above the folder. I shook my head, trying to clear the distraction.

“None of them?” His brows were drawn in confusion.

“Uh, yeah, the first aid class sounds like a good fit. I’ve done several similar classes in Austin.” A shadow passed over his face, but it was gone so quickly perhaps I had imagined it. We talked through the details and decided the class would begin in two weeks, meeting for one hour every Thursday for four weeks. He took notes and said that Sawyer would create a sign-up flyer with all of the information.

"Okay," he said, glancing at his phone. “I believe that covers everything. Do you have any questions for me?” He flipped through the folder with practiced ease, making notes in the margins without hesitating. I’d never seen this version of him.

“You seem different,” I said after a minute.

“People change, Cali.” His gaze lingered on my face. Long enough that I wondered what he saw. We had both changed, and I wondered at all the ways he had. Did he still love the same gross fruity cereal he had in high school? Was he still contemplating a tattoo design? He’d always wanted one but wanted to make sure it really meant something special. My phone rattled on the table, interrupting my thoughts. I glanced at it to make sure it wasn’t for Grandpa or Jace, and I froze as I read the words.

PAST DUE NOTICE

My stomach dropped so hard it felt like I’d missed a step going downstairs. I knew the subject line and the sender because I’d seen it weekly since we’d left. I knew exactly what it was before I even opened it. His loan. Mine now. The balance stared back at me in cold black numbers. Past due.

Payment required immediately.

I sucked in a breath.

“What is it?” Lane’s voice cut through the fog as I gripped my phone. I blinked at the screen.

“What?”

“You just went pale.”

I locked the screen instantly, but it was too late.

His eyes had already caught enough. Concern flickered across his face.

“It’s nothing.”

One dark blond eyebrow lifted. “Cali.”

“It’s handled.” His jaw clenched; that stubborn little muscle near the corner always gave him away. Some things never changed.

“Is it?”

I shoved the phone into my pocket, tucking it away from his prying eyes. “Yes.”

He leaned back in his chair with that familiar patience that used to pry every thought out of me. “You look like you’re about to throw up.” His eyes tracked across my face.

“Thank you. That’s exactly what every woman wants to hear.” I rolled my eyes for effect.

His mouth twitched at the corner. He’d gotten me into trouble with that twitch in school. Once I started giggling, I could never keep it quiet. Ms. Walder hated when she felt like students weren’t paying attention to her.

“You're welcome.”

Lane had been woven into nearly every good memory I owned. He taught me to swim. He was my first kiss. My first dance. He was there for me the night I met my father and learned I hadn’t been the secret daughter I’d imagined—I was simply unwanted. Lane had held me on the pier while my tears soaked his shirt, and somewhere along the way I’d started believing he’d be the exception. He wasn’t. The silence stretched until my phone vibrated again.

Like the universe was determined to expose every last secret. Lane’s eyes flicked down toward my pocket, then back up.

“Cali.” Why did my name have to sound like that in his mouth, making me want to lean in?