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

by Ali Novak

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.

Sometimes all you could do to alleviate the pain was sit with it, count your breaths through it, accept it.

Thousands of stars sparkled above us, like some cosmic artist had thrown an ocean of glitter against the black canvas of the universe.

The uneasiness creeping over me went back to much bigger issues—primarily, my uncontrollable grief.

“There’s this razor-sharp ache in my chest that’s impossible to ignore, like my heart’s been wrapped in barbed wire, and no matter what I do or how much time passes, I know it’ll be there for the rest of my life.”

but—I wonder if you’re using that as a reason to avoid something that scares you?” he said. “Your parents wouldn’t hate you for moving on, Jackie, and no matter what, my family and I will always be here for you.”

“Do you honestly think I haven’t noticed that you struggle to breathe when something reminds you of your family? Or how you’re up at the crack of dawn each day because you can’t sleep?”

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.

That was what true healing was, wasn’t it? Acknowledging your pain but choosing happiness—and I was ready to choose Cole, over and over again.