Never Left Me

Chapter 3

The sun filtered through the kitchen window as Lauren poured coffee into her mug, glancing over at Jonathan and her dad seated at the table. Jonathan's suitcase stood by the door, a reminder that in a few hours he'd be on his way back to Chicago, while she stayed behind in Arkansas for another week. They had been chatting about her dad's plans for the week when the sound of a truck pulling up outside caught their attention.

"Looks like Tyler's here to check out the old tractor," her dad said, nodding toward the window.

Jonathan stood up, curiosity in his eyes as they watched Tyler Owens step out of his truck. He wore his usual—cowboy boots, worn jeans, a flannel button-up, and a cowboy hat tipped low over his eyes. Tyler glanced over and tipped his hat as he walked toward the house.

Jonathan chuckled, shaking his head. "Does he always dress like he's on the set of some western movie?"

Lauren rolled her eyes but smiled slightly. "Be nice...but yes. Yes, he does."

Her dad excused himself to go outside and meet Tyler, leaving Lauren and Jonathan standing near the window as Tyler approached.

Jonathan leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. "So, what's the story with you and him?"

Lauren felt her chest tighten, the familiar knot forming whenever Tyler's name came up. "We just... don't talk anymore," she said, hoping that would end the conversation.

Jonathan raised an eyebrow. "Madison said at the funeral that you and Tyler used to do everything together. And yet, in the six years I've known you, you've never mentioned him."

Lauren bit the inside of her cheek, not wanting to get into this now—not with Tyler about to walk through the door.

"Can we talk about something else?"

Jonathan's gaze lingered on her a little longer, sensing the tension. He stepped closer and placed a hand on her back. "It doesn't matter to me, you know that. If something happened between you two. I just don't like being kept in the dark."

Before she could say anything more, the door swung open, and Tyler stepped inside, his boots making a familiar clunk against the wooden floor.

"Morning," Tyler said with a nod, but his eyes landed on Lauren for a beat longer than necessary.

Lauren forced herself to keep the conversation light. "Morning."

Jonathan extended a hand. "Good to see you again. Jonathan," he said, keeping his tone friendly, though Lauren could sense the tension beneath his words.

"Tyler," Jonathan responded, gripping Tyler's hand firmly.

The three stood in an awkward silence for a moment before Tyler broke it. "I'm here to give your dad a hand with a few things around the place. He says that old tractor's been giving him some trouble."

Tyler's eyes flicked to Lauren as if silently asking if she was okay. Something he used to do when they were kids and he picked up on her being uncomfortable.

Lauren nodded. "Yeah, he could use all the help he can get."

Jonathan's hand found its place on Lauren's lower back again, pulling her slightly closer. "Well, I'll be heading back to Chicago today, but Lauren's staying to help her dad for the week. You guys must've had a lot of memories here together."

The weight of Jonathan's words hung in the air, and Lauren shifted uncomfortably. Tyler glanced between the two of them before nodding. "Yeah, we did."

Lauren quickly changed the subject. "Jonathan, maybe we should get your bags to the car."