Chapter 102

• Haven sat at the edge of the park seat, his hands grasping the wooden braces, feeling the harsh surface press into his palms. The cool summer breeze stirred the leaves overhead, sending a cascade of gold and ruddy around his feet. His heart weighed overwhelming, burdened with the contemplations that had been tormenting him for weeks. He was used to his life being complicated, but this was a fully new level.
• Vanessa, his ex, sat close to him. Her nearness was both familiar and unusual after all these long times. They hadn’t talked much after the breakup, and for great reason. But now, here they were, together in the park like old friends, trying to discover comfort in the same spot where they once imagined long term.
• He looked over at her. She looked different, more grown, but her deep brown eyes were still the same, full of warmth and thoughtfulness, indeed after all they had been through. “Thanks for meeting me here,” Haven said at last, breaking the quiet. His voice was gentler than regular, tinged with powerlessness he wasn’t used to seeing.