The bracelet felt heavier in my palm than it had any right to. I didn’t know how long I’d been standing there in the kitchen, staring at it, my heartbeat tapping against my ribs like it was trying to break out. Nova’s laughter drifted in from the living room, a patch of warmth in a room that suddenly felt too cold.
I slipped the bracelet into my pocket just as Noah walked in. His T-shirt was clinging to his shoulders, casual but watchful.
“You okay?” he asked, voice soft but probing.
I forced a nod. “Yeah. Just thinking about…
some errands I wanted to run.”
It was the first excuse I could think of.
His brow furrowed slightly, but he didn’t push. “We could all go later, get out of the house for a bit.”
“Maybe,” I said, turning to the sink so he couldn’t read my face. “I’ll see how I
