It’s the next morning, and Scott texted me just after dawn. 

“I’m on my jet. Wheels up. I’ll be home in a couple of hours.” 

I stared at the message longer than necessary, my thumb hovering over the screen before I typed back a simple... Okay. My chest felt tight, not relief, not dread exactly, but the heavy middle ground where both lived together. 

I got out of bed quietly. Ace was gone when I woke up, which was a blessing I hadn’t asked for but accepted anyway. The ...