Wild Nights With My Brother’s Ex-Best Friend novel Chapter 108

NICOLE

It’s Saturday, and Mason and I are at Katie’s funeral.

Words can’t truly describe what I’m going through right now. The realization that I’ll never see her again handy truly sunk in yet-it’s like I’m in a place between acceptance and denial.

Katie’s done so much for me…now she’s gone.

It’s so abrupt. I’m transported back to the days when Ma passed, but we knew what to expect for a long time. Every day, we’d be relieved when she woke up, until the day came when she didn’t, and we had to face a reality without her in it.

Watching Katie’s coffin be lowered into the ground makes my head spin.

I wish I had met her for more coffees. I wish I had asked her for more advice, or that we’d talked about Ma more, since Katie knew a version of her that I had never seen before.

When everything’s done, I feel exhausted. There aren’t many of us in attendance, and I don’t know ninety-five percent of the people here. From her family, only Sebastian is here, which makes me vaguely wonder why the rest didn’t come.We make eye contact. It’s time to leave, and people are shaking his hand and giving their condolences. Mason and I wait patiently for our turn.

Pain is written all ever his face. I feel terrible for him-l know how much he cared about Katie. The fact that he’s here proves he was the only one who truly cared in their whole family.

Finally, when it’s just the three of us, Mason shakes his hand, says a few comforting words, and then tells me he’ll wait by the car. Sebastian and I are alone.

“I’m so sorry, Sebastian. Katie…there’ll never be another person like her. She was one of a kind.”

“You’re hurting, too,” he mentions. “She was someone special for us both.”

I nod, throat tight. He asks me, “Are you feeling better now?”

i know what he’s referring to. “Yes. I guess I am. Thanks for helping me that day. I don’t think I ever said anything.”

“You don’t have to thank me.” After a beat, he adds, “I was wondering if you wanted to come over for some coffee and…l don’t know. A few people are going to show up.”

“Oh, thanks, but I really can’t. My brother and I have a trip to take. Everything’s planned. He never has time during the week.”

Sebastian nods in understanding. “If you ever needanything from me, Nicole, all you have to do is call, okay?”

We say our goodbyes, and I meet Mason. Our bags are already in the trunk of his car, so all we have to do is drive to Ashvale, which is where Ma used to live before she moved us here years ago.

“Ready?” Mason asks.

I nod. “Ready.”

grab my phone once I’m in the car and shoot Roman a text to let him know that we’re on the road because I promised him I would when we last met-yesterday.

It was in the morning, when Mason was at work. He seemed tense, and I just imagined it was because he came to see me and he’s paranoid that someone might get to me when he’s not around.

It’s a valid fear, but I think that if we’re not together, then none of the sacrifices we make are worth it.

I slide my phone between my thighs and stare out the window, letting all my anxious thoughts take away my concentration. We’ve only been able to plan so far, and we have no idea whether or not we’re going to find what we’re looking for.

It’s a long drive-six hours. Mason and I spend a lot of time talking about our childhood memories and how Ma always made sure we had what we wanted. To me, she was the strongest person in the world, and now that know what she went through, I’m even prouder of her.

Yes, she kept these secrets from us, but I know that it was just her trying to spare us from a cruel reality. Gosh, I wish we had more time with her. She died so young.

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