My Return to the Walter Boys (My Life with the Walter Boys, #2)

by Ali Novak

As much as I cared about him, I couldn’t date Cole Walter.

He also knew all the right things to say to make me melt, but he could be cruel and petty when it suited him.

while Nathan would always be my best friend among the Walters, Danny had become my brother.

Cole was so good with his younger siblings—playful, but patient—and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find that hot as hell.

His warmth made me feel limitless at times, like I could do anything and be anyone I wanted. But if I wasn’t careful, the spiteful side of his personality he so often wielded like a weapon had the power to cause lasting damage.

That’s what made grief so difficult to overcome; no matter how much effort you put in to moving on, it was always lurking below the surface, ready to pop up at any moment and leave you reeling.

she was running after Zack and Benny, who’d spent the entire drive bickering about who would win a hot dog eating contest—Kirby or Shaggy Rogers.

Kirby

“You think I’m pretty?” I rolled my eyes. “You think you’re pretty.” “I think you’re pretty.”

Deep down, I knew I wasn’t nervous because I was here with any old boy: it was because I was here with him.

He was dazzling.

Even though it was at my expense, the sound made me feel lighter. Both of these boys meant so much to me, but after everything that happened between the three of us and the lingering tension between the pair, I didn’t think something as simple as enjoying one another’s company was possible.

Cole and Alex would go back to avoiding each other as soon as the moment passed, but for the time being, my heart was warm and full, and I let myself enjoy it.

I’m okay.” “You sure?” I hitched a smile onto my face. “I will be.” I’m with you.

“Because all my friends are off at school while I’m stuck here, doing nothing and going nowhere,”

Cue We hug now

“Healing isn’t a linear process. Some days will be better than others.”

Then Cole walked away just like he had that night in the barn. The difference was this time, it felt like for good.

“That she’d be our daughter one day,” she finally said. “Officially.”

Cole was right; I had been afraid. In fact, I’d been so afraid of what I might lose that I forgot the very first thing he taught me when I moved to Colorado—that it was okay to live a little. And because of that fear, I’d thrown everything I had with him away.

the only thing that made life feel less monotonous was working on the Buick. Then something happened that changed everything. You came along. Suddenly, that hollow feeling inside my chest started to fill up whenever we spent time together.

you put yourself back together, would that leave me alone in my brokenness?

he was the most special person in my life

Even after it sunk in that I had a permanent place with the Walters, just thinking about life without them made me choke up.

the Walters would always be there for me.

Acknowledging your pain but choosing happiness—and I was ready to choose Cole, over and over again.

But home was also where your family was, and the Walters were here. That made Colorado my home now too.