Shafts of morning light filtering through the navy curtains had spent the last hour crawling down the wall, brightening what had always been my bedroom at Granny's, but the house remained silent.

Folding my arms over my face, I took a deep breath. I wish I'd have gotten better sleep, but there was too much on my mind.

From the time my parents returned to the house yesterday with armloads of fried chicken and all the fixings, avoiding Nate had taken half my concentration. I spent the other half helping Dad plan and coordinate Granny's funeral. Being the planner she was, Granny had most things handled, but there was still the time-consuming work of having everything set up for tomorrow.

Sadness tightened my throat, and I swallowed, trying to keep the overwhelming feelings at bay. Tomorrow we'd say our last goodbyes. Today would be all about preparing the house for what would no doubt be a large crowd here after the funeral.

The last of the family would arrive sometime this afternoon. The thought of dealing with Briar was enough to make me clench my teeth. At least Aunt Ruth Grace had the sense to get a couple of hotel rooms for the three of them, even though there was plenty of room here.

Liv and Andre had taken Liv's room, while Nate and Laurel were sharing the guest room with two twin beds. That left four bedrooms empty, not including Granny's room on the main floor, and I was fine with that. The less any of us had to interact with Briar, the better.

Checking the time on my phone, I sighed. Mom and Dad planned to attend the early service at First Baptist of Savannah before coming out to the island, so they wouldn't be here for a few more hours.

The thought of a big group breakfast, including Nate, made me want to crawl under the bed until all of this was over. Until I could be with Nate, I didn't want to hang out with him. It hurt too much.

With a groan, I rolled from the bed. I couldn't avoid everyone all day, and they'd all be up before long. Maybe if I got dressed quickly enough, I could start the coffee pot and head outside without getting caught. There had to be something I could do out there until everyone got busy with their own tasks.

Twenty minutes later, I was descending the stairs when the scent of coffee warned me that someone was already in the kitchen. As I strolled into the room working to hold a neutral expression that hopefully didn't seem nervous or constipated, I was surprised to find Laurel there alone.

She stood leaning on the counter with her arms crossed as the coffee continued brewing behind her. Her dark eyes scanned my face, and she smirked. "Relax. Nate's hiding in our room."

Apparently, my expression wasn't as neutral as I'd hoped. "He doesn't have to hide." My heart squeezed at the thought of him being uncomfortable.

"That's what I said, but after you ran from any room he entered yesterday, he thought it'd be easier."

My cheeks warmed. "He noticed that?"

"We all noticed. You're not slick. And you look awful. Do you sleep at all?"

"Not much." I scratched the back of my neck and tried to avoid her gaze, but she stared at me as though she had more to say, and I braced for anything.

Laurel and I had always gotten along, but we'd never been close. Still, I knew her well enough to know she wasn't afraid to share her opinions, and she loved Nate. So she probably wasn't too fond of me anymore.

Thankfully, the coffee pot sputtered, telling us it was ready, and breaking the quiet. She studied me a second longer before turning with a sigh and filling two mugs. After preparing her drink and Nate's the way they liked, she crossed the room, but stopped in front of me.

"Nate's important to me, and he hasn't been himself since you chose some fake-ass version of yourself over him." Her full lips pulled into a frown. "I've been pissed at you, Joby, but now, seeing how broken you are, I'm just disappointed for you both," she whispered, but the words still stung like a slap. "You guys deserve better than this."

Laurel walked around me, going through the living room, and up the stairs. I stood frozen, listening to her soft footsteps until the sound disappeared, leaving me with her words circling in my mind.

She was right. No version of me was worth losing Nate, especially not the one I'd spent years tweaking and bending until I couldn't even recognize myself, but I fit perfectly into the role I'd worked so hard to fill.

It'd seemed so easy at the time. I never wanted a serious relationship anyway. Not being out at work was a quick excuse to keep anyone I spent time with at arm's length. But now, when I wanted more, I was stuck in a position that wouldn't allow me to change. My job, my home, my whole life depended on me being the person I'd pretended to be.

Mr. Harrison couldn't fire me for coming out, but he'd find another reason. I'd seen it done too many times over the years to truly expect any other outcome. Good employees, people who showed up on time and did their jobs well, were let go for not upholding the Peachtree and Kings image.

That part of our employment contracts left way too much wiggle room and could mean anything if necessary. Anger heated my skin and shame turned my stomach. Complacency was as bad as encouragement. I should've quit years ago.

Skipping the coffee, I went through the backdoor in search of manual labor—weeding the flowerbeds, cutting the grass, anything to keep me busy.

I just needed to get through the next few days, and then everything would change.

Thanks for reading! 💜