“Yes?”

His lips brushed against mine as his eyes slowly shut. “I’m really glad you exist.”

29

Jackson Ten Years Old

“Really?” I gleamed, staring at my parents. “I can really get one?!” My face hurt because I was smiling so hard. We were standing in the pet store staring at the cages with all different types of puppies.

“Yes. You’ve been doing so great with your grades. Plus, we think you’re old enough to have a bit more responsibility now. So”—Dad gestured toward the dogs—“let’s find you a new friend.”

I wanted to cry because that was what I wanted.

I’d always wanted a friend, and now I was going to get one.

My parents walked through the shop with me, pointing out which dogs they liked. They didn’t agree on anything, and then they’d say something mean to one another. Even though they tried their best to hide it, they fought underneath their breaths. I didn’t get why they were so annoyed with one another lately.

All they had to do was say I love you to fix things.

I didn’t let their fighting get to me that afternoon, though.

I was on a mission to find the right dog to be my new partner in crime. That way, when my parents were fighting, I’d have someone to keep me company.

“What about him?” I asked, nodding toward a black puppy who was wagging his tail so fast as he looked at me. It looked like he was excited about finding a new friend, too.

The employee got the dog for us. He then took us into a room to interact with the puppy to see if it was a match. The second they placed the dog down, he leaped in my direction, jumping in my lap. He began licking my face and hugging me as I hugged him tight.

Ma smiled. “I think we found the perfect guy for you.”

I laughed as he kept kissing my face.

“Now all we need is a name,” Dad remarked.

Whenever I would pull him back a little, he’d dig himself deeper into my lap. “How about Tucker?” I laughed. “Because he keeps tucking himself against me.”

“Tucker.” Ma nodded, still smiling. “I love it.”

“Me too,” Dad replied.

They agreed.

It must’ve been right.

“Hi, Tucker,” I whispered, holding him close to me. It felt like he was hugging me back, and I liked that the most. I never, ever wanted to let him go. “I’m going to love you forever.”

30

Grace

“Gracelyn Mae! Get down here, will you?” Mama hollered the morning of the peach festival. I’d been helping at her house by baking cupcakes all morning. The whole town was in a rush to get it set up, and I’d just finished putting on the red sundress Mama had picked out for me.

We hadn’t truly spoken about anything, and the truth was, I was glad. I was certain if we did talk, it would just result in another disagreement, and I was tired of having those conversations with her.

Soon enough, I’d be back in Atlanta teaching. Therefore, I didn’t see a point in arguing with her.

As I walked downstairs, Mama tilted her head toward me. “Oh,” she muttered. “Is that how it looks on?”

“Mama, don’t start,” I warned, feeling all my insecurities bubbling up.

“No, no, it’s fine. You look fine.”

Then Judy walked into the room, and Mama gasped, her hands flying over her mouth. “Oh my gosh, darling, you look stunning!” she remarked about Judy’s white sundress.

The sundress was identical to mine, just a different color.

Judy beamed so brightly and twirled. “Isn’t it fun? Oh my gosh, I’m so excited for today and for the fireworks display tonight. I think we are going to raise so much money for charity.”

“With that beautiful smile of yours, you’ll get everyone to hand over their money for the cause. Did you choose which one you wanted to donate to?”

Every peach festival, the church held a big barbecue and carnival, and all the money raised went to a charity. Seeing how Judy was in charge of organizing the event, she got to choose where the money from the event would go.

“Yes,” she replied, looking in my direction. “I want to donate to the MISS Foundation,” she said.

My heart skipped a beat. “Judy,” I whispered, and she gave me the most gentle smile.

“I just think it’s important, you know? The work they do; their values and support—it save lives.”

I tried to blink away my tears, and I nodded. I knew from personal experience how much they could save a life.

The MISS Foundation helped families who’d suffered from the unbearable loss of a child. When I had my first miscarriage, they were who I turned to. When I had my seventh, they were who kept me from drowning.

I’d once mentioned the foundation to Judy years ago; I hadn’t had a clue she remembered.

But, of course, she did. She was, after all, the one who restored my faith in humanity each day.

I walked over to her and gave her the tightest squeeze. “Thank you,” I whispered.

“Always,” she replied, squeezing me even more. “The dress looks better on you, by the way.”

Oh, sister, you and your lies.

The carnival began, and everyone in town was there—except for the Emery men, of course. I had asked Jackson if he would attend, and he’d said he would rather eat five hundred cans of anchovies than be surrounded by all the folks of charming ole Chester.

I couldn’t blame him. If it wasn’t for me being Chester royalty, I would’ve avoided it, too.

It was probably a good thing he wasn’t there because the number of times his name was upon someone’s tongue was infuriating. Jackson never talked about anyone in town. Heck, I was almost certain he didn’t even know most of their names, but they were true fanatics about tossing his around.

Every time someone said something ugly about him, the hair on my arms stood up. Every time someone called him a monster, I wanted to stand up to them. He wasn’t a monster at all, not the real Jackson. He was so gentle and kind. He saved me when I felt so alone.

When Susie Harps remarked that the town would be perfect if we didn’t let white trash stay, I was seconds away from leaping at her and pulling out her extensions. “I’m just saying, it would be best if his father just went ahead and drank himself to death. Then maybe Jackson would off himself next,” she said in such a despicable tone.

How could those words ever leave someone’s mouth?

How could someone be so shockingly evil? Wishing death on someone? Really?

My arm reached out and if not for a hand landing on my forearm, she would’ve been on the ground.

“Whoa there, slugger,” Alex whispered. As I turned around, I saw his smiling face, and he shook his head. “It’s not worth it.”

“Did you hear what she just said?”

“Yes, but still, it’s not worth it,” he told me. “The more you react to their comments, the more power they have over you. Just walk away. Come on, let’s get some cotton candy.” He placed his arm around my shoulders, still smiling, but I felt sick to my stomach.

“They wished him dead,” I barked.

“Yeah, well, that’s their karma to deal with. If you pulled out that girl’s hair, that would be your karma, but look! Now your karma is clean, and you get cotton candy. I call that a win-win.” He bought me a cotton candy, and I shook my head at him in disbelief.

“How do you always stay so positive? With everything and everyone?”

“Oh, that’s easy—I smoke a lot of marijuana.” He smirked. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about Jackson, actually. I just wanted to say thank you.”

“For what?”

“Giving his darkness a chance. As you know, he’s a good person once you peel back those layers, and it means the world to me that you took the time to do that.”

“It’s not just a one-way thing, Alex. He’s done the same thing for me. Whenever I feel like falling apart, he’s there to catch me.”

“That’s the type of friend Jackson is—loyal and always there for you.”

My heart skipped a beat. “You think I’m his friend?”

Alex snickered and cocked an eyebrow. “You think you’re not? Rumor has it he sends you texts.”

“Yeah…”

“Not to sound dramatic or anything,” he said, leaning in, “but the asshole doesn’t even text me back. You might be his new favorite person. If it was anyone else, I’d probably be pissed, but since it’s you”—he shrugged—“I’ll allow it.”

“So what does he do for the festival days? Does he hang out with his dad?”

“Nah. Normally he sits on top of the shop and drinks while watching the fireworks.”

“Alone?”

“Yeah. I’ve tried to join him, but he won’t have it. Alone is something he’s used to, I think, and he has a hard time breaking that pattern.”

Well, maybe it was time to have someone try to break it for him.

*

“What are you doing here?” Jackson asked as I made my way onto the roof of the auto shop, holding a bag in my hand.

“What does it look like? I’m bringing you barbecue.” I handed him the food, and he gave me a somber look.

“Thank you. You can leave it and go.”

“Orrr…” I smiled brightly, sitting beside him. “I could stay.”