39. Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Nolan — Now

I watched my front door from the safety of my truck, praying the longer I stared at it, something behind it would change.

Indy sat beside me, and without even a word, I knew she was doing the same. Silently wishing for the past to change. For loneliness and regret to shift into joy and peace. For three hearts to unbreak. Three lives to unshatter.

We didn’t step out of the truck.

We both knew what was awaiting us. What would be different, missing, as we walked through that front door. And I couldn’t protect her from it.

I was failing her. Again.

“Did you have a good day?” It was the first thing I’d said since we’d dropped my niece off at her parents’ an hour ago.

Indy let out a broken breath. “I had the perfect day.”

I tipped my chin in a nod, already knowing that to be true.

“Nolan?”

“Yeah?” I rasped, the pressure in my chest growing.

She faced me then, a tear tracking down her cheek. “I really wanted days like this with you.”

“Me too. ”

We watched one another, neither of us saying a word. We didn’t know what to say. We hadn’t known what to do then, and we didn’t know now. But I needed to do something, say something. I couldn’t do nothing. Not again.

“We can still have days like that, Indy.”

Her lips lifted in a feeble smile, her tears falling quicker. “I don’t work the way you do, Nolan. I can’t just ride on blind faith.” She leaned her head back against the seat, looking up at a sky she couldn’t see. “I think that’s why I can’t picture our life together. We’re missing a piece. And I can’t bring it back. I can’t bring our baby back.”