CutterGoing to the beach is something different for me. We went sometimes when I was little, but it was hard with Mom always working at The Café. I, of course, did the whole Spring Break experience, but it's not the same as coming with Rowan."We'll park in the EMT lot." She winks as she turns her car in, displaying her badge. "It's almost ten bucks an hour to park in the public lots. Everybody who works here does it.""Little rule breaker," I joke as she parks in one of the back spaces. "Sometimes rules are meant to be broken."This is a side of her I like. One where she's not so completely worried about what other people think of her. It's cute and sexy. We get out, grabbing our stuff out of the trunk. "How long has it been since you've been to the beach to have fun?" she asks as we walk across the street onto the public part of the sand."Not since you swallowed for me there a few days ago," I laugh as her eyes grow big and she busts out laughing."Cutter!""Kid

RowanCutter is gone, and I'm alone, but I have a plan today. I haven't been over to my parents' for Sunday dinner since we lost Etta. All the things we used to do had tarnished, no longer shining for any of us. Looking at the empty spot where her seat sat was more painful than any of us had ever imagined.Getting out of my car, I take a deep breath when I realize I'm the last one to show up. Truth be told, even though I called my mom and told her I'd be coming, I don't think any of them truly thought I'd be here. But it's imperative I be here today, I have to explain to them what's going to happen. I don't necessarily need their blessing, but I want it. I desperately need them to understand what I've been going through, and the only way to do that is to tell them. After talking all of these things out with Cutter, I now know how badly I've hurt myself by not speaking about Etta earlier. Weirdly I'd decided by not acknowledging how much losing her affected my life, I was doing bett

Rowan"You don't have to be so sad," I tease Isaac as I reach over, grabbing his hand in mine. "I might not be here after tonight, but we'll still be friends. You can call, text, FaceTime, come visit us - whatever you want to do. Just because I'm moving doesn't mean you're completely out of my life.""Just never thought you'd leave." He looks over at me, a sad smile on his face. "I never thought I'd leave either, but it's going to be good for me."The more I say it the more I believe it. Maybe things had to happen the way they have for me to be able to appreciate it. "You're gonna miss the ocean.""I will, and I'll miss Shucker's, and my family, but I have to do something for myself. I've lived so much of my life being that person who was Etta's mom that I didn't know who I was anymore," I say, doing my best to explain it to him."No, I get it. I really do, I'm just going to miss you like crazy.""I'm gonna miss you too. I've never had a friend like you, never had a p

VOLUME FIVE: SULLIVANSullivan"Yes!"My sister screams the word as she tackles her boyfriend to the ground. He's proposed in front of what has become our group of friends, and though I feel a stab of jealousy in my chest, I'm excited for them. I can't help but clap and whistle along with everyone else. Cutter and I talked about this a few days ago. He asked my dad, but he requested my permission too, knowing how close Rowan and I are.I gave it to him with every single blessing I could muster. If anyone deserves to be happy, it's Rowan. Someone taps on my shoulder, causing me to take my eyes off the ecstatic couple. "Is it possible to be that lucky? To get someone who makes you smile and your eyes twinkle?"Attorney Shelby Bruce has had my attention since I moved here a few months ago. We live in the same apartment complex, and she just so happens to take her morning run either when I'm leaving for or coming home from work. She may be a bit of an obsession. One I wish

Sullivan"Thank you for volunteering to work Valentine's Night," Nick says as we start the shift-change. "We would've made it work, the way we always have, but it's nicer when I can be home with the wife and kiddos, ya know?"I don't, but I pretend like I do. "I'm sure they all appreciate it."Nick grins. "And I appreciate when they go to bed, just leaving me and my blushing bride to do whatever we want."Rolling my eyes, I grab a cup of the worst coffee known to man. Welcome to Laurel Springs Police Department."Dude, don't remind me you're married, and have a woman to sleep next to you, and all that good stuff.""What's up with you and Shelby?"His southern accent makes her name almost two words. Shell Bee."Didn't you take her home from the Christmas Party?"Steeling myself, I sip some of the sludge, grimacing as I force it down. "Just because I took her home doesn't mean something happened."He studies me a lot fucking closer than I want him to. "Yeah it did.