I checked my calendar–Matthew’s birthday was in three days.


    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    Bringing up something heavy on his birthday? Yeah, no. I didn’t want to mess up his big day, so I


    figured I’d visit him early, drop off a gift, and get it over with. That way, I wouldn’t have to deal with it


    on his actual birthday.


    But before I could even get started, Wayne showed up.


    I hadn’t seen him since we left the amusement park, and honestly, I almost didn’t recognize him.


    “Did I turn into a coal miner or something? You don’t even know who I am?” Wayne joked, throwing


    in some ssic self–deprecation to break the ice.


    Seeing him like this brought back memories of Hayden, and I couldn’t help but smile. “If your mom


    saw you right now, she’d totally freak.”


    “Nah, she actually said I look more manly now,” Wayne replied, clearly trying to keep things light.


    I bit back augh. “You do have that whole rugged, manly vibe going on.”


    Wayne rubbed his face, grinning. “d you noticed.”


    Despite his attempts to keep things chill, I still felt a bit awkward, not really sure how to keep the


    conversation going.


    Thinking about my n to visit Matthew, I decided to switch gears. “So, how are your mom and dad


    doing?”


    “They’re good, but they miss you,” Wayne said, and that hit me right in the guilt zone.


    I used to go to the Johnston residence every day after work. They practically saw me more than my


    own family. But ever since I moved out, I hadn’t been back even once.


    “I’m actually nning to visit them today,” I said, hesitating before adding, “I also need to talk to


    your dad about something.”


    Wayne looked at me, his expression practically begging to know what was up. I wasn’t about to


    keep anything from him, so I justid it out. “Jace has beening after thepany I joined,


    doing everything he can to crush them–even stealing clients.”


    Wayne didn’t look surprised at all. Clearly, he was already in the loop.


    Sure enough, he said, “I already told my dad about it. And about you quitting? My dad was totally


    against


    -it.”


    He watched me closely, and when I didn’t say anything, he added, “I’m here today because my dad


    sent me to convince you. Rea… please,e back to thepany.”


    Even with the serious look on his face, I couldn’t help but smile. “So, if you don’tplete your


    mission today, is your dad gonna give you a hard time?”


    I said it because I remembered something from my third year with the Johnston family. Matthew had


    sent Wayne on some errand, and when he didn’t get it right, Matthew kicked him twice.


    That memory stuck with me. It was the first time I’d seen Matthew lose it like that, and he did it so


    harshly.


    Wayne didn’t really react–no tears, no excuses–but when he noticed me watching, I could see the


    embarrassment written all over his face, a slight blush creeping up his cheeks.


    That’s when I realized I should’ve looked away, to give him a little dignity.


    “Making fun of me?” Wayneughed, and I wondered if he was thinking of that day too.


    “No, I-” I started to deny it, but Wayne cut me off.


    “But I’m not here to pressure you today, even if it means getting in trouble when I go back.”


    Wait, what?


    I looked at Wayne, confused. He pressed his lips into a thin line before continuing, “I know why you


    left, why you even gave up on the amusement park you cared so much about. How could I try to


    force you to go back?”


    Wayne smiled, that bright, warm smile that took me back to the carefree kid he used to be.


    “Besides, even if I asked, you wouldn’t go back. So why make things awkward for both of us?”


    He really did know me too well.


    Honestly, before Wayne left for his assignment, I always got along with him way better than I ever


    did with Jace.


    Jace was nice to me, sure, but he also had this habit of teasing me, ying pranks that sometimes


    went way too far. But Wayne? He never pulled that kind of stuff. He always had my back, even


    scolding Jace more than once for scaring me.


    He was like the big brother I never had.


    “Does your dad actually back Jace in all this nonsense?” I asked, remembering how Wayne


    mentioned that Matthew knew about Jace’s antics.


    “No, my dad totally tore into him and warned that if he keeps causing trouble, he’ll be kicked out,”


    Wayne said, and I believed him.