Once I escape to the hallway, I run straight for the stairs around the corner. My back leans against the wall and I struggle to catch my breath, swallowing the rush of emotions down my throat. I know I acted a little worked up back there, but I can't help feeling angry and paranoid.

Something about all these happenings in my life doesn't feel right.

As for my father, I don't know him. I don't trust him.

To ask me to give up everything that I have right now and live with him—that's simply out of the question.

I push myself off the wall and hoist my tote bag on my shoulder, clutching the straps tightly. There's fifteen minutes left before the bell rings and I head straight for Block E, knowing that's where Kyle is having his last lesson for the day. I wait for him outside the classroom, staring blankly at the shoelaces on my sneakers and picking at a loose thread on my pullover.

When he finally shuffles out of class, he notices me immediately.

"Riley?" A boyish smile works its way to his lips. "You finished class early?"

I nod. No matter how foul my mood is, the sight of him forms a smile on my face.

Behind him, Ian appears and gives me a friendly wave. "Hey there, Riley! Feeling better?"

"I'm good. Thanks for asking, Ian."

"That's great!" His gaze switches from me to Kyle and back to me again. "Alright, I'll stop third wheeling now. He's all yours..."

Ian winks at me, gives us one last wave and disappears down the corridor. When he's gone, Kyle reaches for my hand, lacing his fingers through mine, and we head for the parking lot together. He seems to be in a better mood now. His eyes are much brighter than before.

"Hungry?"

"A little," I lie, even though I've lost my appetite after the meeting with my father. But hey, who knows if I might get hungry once I see the food in front of me? "What shall we have?"

"Any cravings?"

"Not really, but I'll have whatever you feel like having."

Kyle grins down at me. "Well then, I know a good place."

I let him take the lead. Twenty minutes later, we stand at the entrance of Happynest.

There's a growing lunch crowd, but somehow, we snag a booth by the window. Maya takes our orders and we both get the Big Ben—a favorite of Kyle's grandfather. As she vanishes into the kitchen, I watch Aunt Abbie serve a customer at the counter. Wearing a white apron, her hair pulls back into a bun and sits on top of her head as loose strands frame her face. Delicate yet professional.

When she spots us, she grins and mouths to us.

Food's on the house. Eat up.

Grinning, I give her a thumbs up and return my attention to Kyle. He's casually looking around, his fingers are playing around with mine and a thumb traces circles at the back of my left hand. I relish the feel of his large, warm and slightly calloused hand on mine, wondering how I had once allowed myself to let go of this hand.

He hasn't yet noticed anything strange about me, which means I'm doing a terrific job at hiding my troubled thoughts. "Are there things you would like to try doing, Riley?"

My head tilts to the side, puzzled. "What sort of thing?"

"Oh, I don't know. Canoeing? Cycling? A concert?" he suggests. "Things that you wish to tick off your bucket list."

"I...wow. No one asked me this before," I admit, but excitement bubbles in my chest. "I need a moment to think."

He whips out his phone and taps on the notepad app. "Here, list down 30 things. 20 if it's too hard for you. We'll clear that bucket list by Christmas."

"Oh, Kyle. We'll never finish that fast."

"Not if we keep it simple," he grins. He types something and hands me his phone. "Look, I helped you with the first one."

I glance at the screen and immediately burst out laughing.

1. Cuddle and watch Netflix at least once every week

He has written those words boldly without showing a slightest bit of embarrassment, which I find really cute. "You know, I think your arms might break."

However, he flexes his arms and rolls the muscles in his shoulders for good measure. "I doubt it. I work out a lot."

I shake my head at him and add a few items to the list.

2. Stargazing

3. Beach scavenger hunt

4. Let bf play chef

He reads what I've typed and an amusement flickers in his eyes. "I'll have you know I didn't inherit my mother's cooking skills."

"Oh really? Prove it!"

"Deal," he agrees. "Get ready to be impressed by me. I can be an amazing chef, if I choose to be one."

I pretend to shoot him a look of doubt. Before I can think of the next item, he beats me to it by adding another witty line.

5. Initiate a Spaghetti Kiss

Blood races up my neck and floods my cheeks with heat. I jab a finger at the screen, speechless. "Hey! Isn't this my bucket list? A-and didn't I kiss you before?"

"Rarely," Kyle argues, and I don't miss the humor dancing across his features or the smirk he's wearing. "You're far too shy. We need to work on getting you over with that."

"I'm not doing it!"

He takes my hand and brushes his lips across my knuckles, giving me a smothering gaze that almost makes my heart stop beating. "Would you rather I do it instead? Just a warning though, I'm not that great at self-control."

"I—" Loss for words, I slump back into my cushioned seat. I pull my hand out of his and clutch it to my chest protectively. Aware of how fast my heart is racing. "Sheesh, manipulator."

He laughs and ruffles my hair as I silently pout. A commotion happens at the counter and I casually glance over to look. Aunt Abbie is greeting a group of customers and showing them to a bigger booth a few tables away from us. I do a quick count and note two men and three women dressed in casual outfits.

Right at this moment, my aunt meets my gaze and calls my name. "Riley!" She waves me over. "Sorry, but can you hop over here for a second? Your mother's friends have dropped by."

Friends?

Kyle and I exchange a look of surprise, but I do as she says. I leave my booth just as our food arrives, heading over to where Aunt Abbie is standing right by their table. Friendly faces greet me as I approach, their smiles impel me to return one as well.

A man wearing a charming smile addresses me first. "Hello there, Riley! Do you remember me? I'm Gavin, your mother's ex-colleague."

He holds out a hand to shake mine just as a lady with a pixie haircut nudges his side and corrects him. "Boss. You're the boss."

Gavin clears his throat awkwardly. "It doesn't matter, Sofia." He returns to meet my gaze and sweeps his hand towards the rest of the group. "We're shifting our office today and found ourselves in the area, so we dropped by for a quick lunch. All of us here worked with Ava before."

I give them a polite smile. "It's nice to meet you all."

"We heard about the news from Abbie here..." He shares a look with my aunt, before his gaze flits back to mine. "We're sorry for your loss."

"Thank you. And thank you for taking care of my mother in the past."

"There's no need to thank us for that. She was a dear friend of ours. A kind soul."

They make a quick introduction around the table—Gavin, Theo, Sofia, Audrey and Lydia. Aunt Abbie announces she would get their drinks first and Gavin excuses himself to pick up something from his car. Once I'm left alone with the remaining gang, Sofia reaches towards me and takes my hands in hers.

"Ava's daughter!" she squeals loudly. "I've always wanted to meet you. What a sweetheart! Your mother loved you to bits. She had several pictures of you on her work desk."

The image pulls my heartstrings. Sadness pools in my chest, knowing I can't remember my mother the way the others do. I feel left out. "Did she?"

"She did," Theo agrees. He's a lanky, bespectacled man in a red plaid shirt. "Ava was so proud of you, like when you won your first piano competition when you were eleven. We never heard the end. It's too bad she isn't here with us today."

The rest of them nod their heads and shoot me identical looks of pity, which immediately puts me in a rather uncomfortable position. Forcing me to stare down at my feet. Fortunately, Gavin returns to the cafe in the nick of time to break the silence between us.

He hands me a medium-sized cardboard box. "We almost forgot this," he says sheepishly. "They belong to your mother's. We found them when we were clearing the cabinets today, and I guess she left them behind because she was in a hurry. You should have them back for keepsakes."

I accept the box and study the items inside. There aren't many except for a mug, a customized pen and a company jacket with my mother's name at the back, a clip-on fan and an old handwritten calendar.

I can't express my gratitude enough to have more remnants of Mom. When there's time, I'll run through her things properly and, perhaps, hope that I might retrieve my memories of this amazing woman that everybody has been telling me.

"I appreciate this a lot," I tell Gavin and his friends. "Thank you."

"Anytime, Riley." Gavin gives my shoulder a squeeze and smiles at me warmly. "If you ever need help, come to us."

I nod. After bidding them goodbye, I head back to my booth, where Kyle is waiting for me heartily. He takes one look at the box in my hands and understanding softens his expression. He doesn't need to ask to know what they are.

After a hearty lunch, he drives me home and leaves to run his mother's errands. As I walk up the porch, something catches my attention. A white envelope peeks out of the mailbox and I spot the first half of my name scrawled hastily across it. Without hesitation, I pull it out swiftly and tear it open.

The second I see what's inside, I'm stunned.

It's the plane ticket that my father gave me earlier. I may have ruined it earlier, but it's now pinched between my fingers in perfect condition. Reprinted.

To my dearest Riley,

I'm sorry for everything that I've done.

Please give it a consideration. Come home with me. Meet me at the airport on the departure day.

I'll be waiting.