Taivon: Book Three of the Cantrell Brothers Series

Chapter Four

Only the fireplace mantle was decorated with just one piece of glass. It was the only real keepsake, besides the furniture, that he'd allowed himself to put up. Everything else – the pictures they'd taken together and all of Holly's favorite knick knacks – were safely wrapped up in a box and shoved in the crawl space, right next to his laundry room.

Taivon didn't let himself look at the gift Holly had picked out for him on their vacation to California, only slamming the basement door shut and clomping down with tired steps. His weight room was down here, and he quickly got to work, doing bench presses, squats, lunges, and pull-ups on the bar he'd installed by the stairs. He did his abs workout, as well, stopping only once it hurt and he couldn't do anymore crunches.

Lying there, back pressed into the mat on the cement floor, Taivon stared up at the foam ceiling. The yellow rain spots got to him, and he had to close his eyes, forcing himself not to feel as awful as what the ceiling looked like. He had so many of those dirty spots inside him, and they felt awful, especially when he thought about what he was going to do today.

Last night with Alix had been better, he remembered. His stock card, another thing he'd allowed himself to keep of Holly, had kept him calm, cool, and in control. He'd barely stuttered, despite everything that had been said last night. He'd even made Alix fidget a little, which was something that he hoped to see again.

The thought surprised him.

He got off the floor in a hurry then, trodding up the stairs and taking a shower in record time. In his small kitchen, he pulled out the carton of eggs, kept only the whites, and made a vegetable omelet. He had his protein shake next and inputted the calorie amounts into his phone.

Holly had always been so healthy with her dietary habits, and it'd rubbed off on him all those years ago. Even now, Taivon couldn't remember the last time he'd had an order of french fries or even a single potato chip. They'd never kept those things in their house back then, and he liked having things the way they'd been.

Well, almost the way they'd been. The couches, chairs, throw blankets, pillows, and the bed that he and Holly had made love in so many times were still the same. Even the cupboards with their polished wood and the kitchen light he'd installed when first moving in were almost picture perfect compared to their old home. It was only the pictures, the only items he'd had the willpower to box up and put away.

Clasping the back of his neck so hard he knew there'd be bruises later today, Taivon let out a deep breath and forced himself to get into his SUV, look back so he wouldn't hit anybody like last time, and drive to Yellowstone.

He parked in his usual spot, way at the end of the lot where the cleaning crew sometimes forgot to pick up the bison droppings, and went into the ranger station where he checked the schedule for tours again. As expected, he had one at eleven. Exactly two hours away, and his hands were already sweating.

“Where's your hat?” Isaiah asked him, once he was outside.

He just shook his head and ran his hand through hair that hadn't seen a good cut in a few months now. “Don't really wanna wear it today.”

“You're gonna get sunburnt, kiddo.”

Taivon didn't know what to say, so he just followed the older man around the park as they checked up on the roads closer to the ranger station. It was in their silence and alone with just the wild animals far away when Taivon felt calm again. He touched the stock card in his front pocket and mentally prepared for Alix to show up. He just hoped that nobody would test his patience today. Blowing up in front of her definitely wouldn't be the best first date.

“Taivon.” A hand waved in front of his face, and he snapped out of his daze.

He looked down at Isaiah, squinting at the sun. “What?”