Chapter 35

Troy's feet pounded the gravel in a steady pace alongside the road. Sweat dripped from his face and onto his soaked tee. His legs had started burning over a mile back, but he didn't stop. He was too out of shape for this. The last time he'd gone running had been his father's birthday last year. Memories had crept up, and the only thing he could do to expel them had been to run.

It had worked then. It wasn't working now.

Camryn had been doing these little things for him half his life. Buying him peanut butter, framing a family photo, giving him a toy truck. Stuff to remind him of better days, to keep looking forward. That she cared. But what she'd done this morning was different. So very different.

Leaving a muffin with a birthday candle in it on his nightstand. It wasn't even his birthday, just something nice to replace the bad memories. A memory only she knew, the only person whom he'd told. He hadn't even allowed himself remember.