“But you still carry the weight of it.”
I leaned against the brick building that housed the DMV. “I think we all do.”
“That’s true. And we carry it in different ways. But we need to talk about it more, get it out into the open so it stops eating all of us alive. I’m slowly learning that the more I can do that, the better I am. It takes some of the power away.”
“I’m glad, Mom.”
“I want that for you, Beckett. Release this ugly guilt that’s been eating away at you. You’re back now. Live in the present, be grateful for where you’re at.”
I grinned down at the cement. “You sound like Addie.”
“I’ll take that as a high compliment.”
“You should.”
Mom was quiet for a moment. “You can tell me to mind my own, but I had a friend call me the other day. She said she saw you and Addie looking quite cozy.”
I couldn’t hold in my laughter. “Cozy, huh? The gossip mill must be hard-up if they’re settling for cozy.”
“Oh, hush.”
I toed a stray rock on the sidewalk, rolling it around with my boot. “I like her a lot. Think I’m falling in love with her.”
My mom sucked in a sharp breath. “Beckett Easton, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say those words.”
Because I hadn’t. I’d remained far away from that emotion when it came to women. Maybe because I knew how easy it was to lose the people you loved the most. Or how those relationships could fall apart in the blink of an eye. I’d never let myself go there. But with Addie, it was as if I didn’t have a choice. She’d taken my life and my heart by storm. Now, I wouldn’t want it any other way.
I caught sight of the truck coming back towards the DMV. “I gotta go, Addie’s coming back from her driver’s test.”
“Are you seriously leaving me on that kind of cliffhanger?”
“Sorry.” I was moving towards the parking lot where Addie had pulled into a space.
“You’d better call me tomorrow.”
“I’ll do better than that. I’ll come by.”
Mom’s voice went soft. “I’d love that.”
“Love you, Mom.”
“Love you, too. Tell Addie hi for me.”
“Will do.” I hit end on the call and picked up my pace. The woman and Addie were talking, both with serious expressions on their faces. Then the older woman handed Addie some papers, and Addie beamed. There was sheer joy in her expression, and I knew there was only one outcome. I picked up to a jog.
Addie saw me running and raised her arms into the air in an almost Rocky move. I grabbed her around the waist, swinging her around. “You did it.”
She laughed, the sound music to my ears. “Thanks to you.”
“Thanks to both of us.”
Addie brushed her lips against mine. “You’re right. Both of us.”
The woman cleared her throat, but there was amusement lacing her features. “Ms. Kemper, you’ll need to go inside and have your photo taken. They’ll give you a temporary license. The permanent one will come in the mail.”
“Thank you so much, ma’am.”
She smiled at Addie. “Have fun and be safe.”