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I turn to Sandy, whose face has paled to the color of alabaster Her eyes are on me, and she takes a step forward and then another until she’s next to me “Tyler,” she says softly “Are you okay?”

I don’t get why she’s asking et why she can’t seem to take hold of my hand when she reaches out to it Then I look down atso violently it’s almost a blur Sound dulls aroundaround o to eh she’s trying to holdher froh to keep it all together I didn’t do it for my family, but I can do it for her I can do it for my boys

“Tyler, sit,” Sandy says gently The press of the table against s prompts me to slump down I can sers intoo rapidly, but I can’t see behind Sandy, staring down atat his son There are voices, but I can’t

All I can do is close o away

28

GREG

When Luna walked into the house surrounded by bodyguards, I thought they were going to be a proble south and hustle her out of the front door I’ her leave without giving her a fucking huge piece of my mind

“LUNA!” I shout as she’s stuiant vehicle She stops, and so does the suited dude who has his hand through her arm For someone with a mouth on her the size of the Grand Canyon, she’s actually really s now

“What?”

“What you said to Tyler…it’s wrong”

“Nothing I said rong You just don’t want to face the truth”

“The truth is that Jake was a grown man The truth is that Tyler told him never to ride that erous it was”

“He promised Jake that he would teach him to ride, but he never had time for us after he met Sandy”

“He was in love, Luna For the first time in his life, he had someone who loved hi to diminish you and Jake in his life…he loved you both uys for so long…fro He just wanted to have some time to himself Jake shouldn’t have taken the bike, but it wasn’t Tyler’s fault”

“Then why does he blaht there

“Because that’s what big brothers do That’s what brothers who have had to step in to be mothers and fathers do That’s what anyone who’s left behind after an accident does We bla back…there is no way to bring Jake back”

Luna stares atwith unshed tears The et her to move, but she resists “He died,” she mutters “Jake died, and Tyler wasn’t there, and I had no one”

“I know,” I say, reaching out to touch her hand It’s so s She’s a force to be reconned with in a tiny, frail package “But what happened broke Tyler, and you bla tohi him back”

I hear the rustle of clothes behind me and turn to find Sandy in the doorway Her pretty eyes are glassy, and her head shakes froh she’s in denial about whatever part of our conversation she heard I scrunch my face in anticipation of some kind of confrontation Luna is raw and resentful, and Sandy seeerous combination

“Luna” There’s a hitch in Sandy’s voice that stills Luna i the fact that her feet are bare, and she’s dressed more appropriately for indoors than out I catch the heads of the bodyguards turning, and I don’t think it’s because they’re concerned for Luna’s safety If this wasn’t such a fucked-up situation, I’d be warning theirl