Water Under the Bridge || Evan Buckley [2]

chapter fourteen

ghosts of the past

Josephine climbed to the hilltop and sat underneath the big tree to clear her head. She arrived from visiting her father and Bryan's graves to replace the wilted flowers and speak to them as if they were present sitting across and listening. If she were honest, she didn't feel gravitated to anyone to pour out the current state of her mind. Between registering the near loss of Athena to Buck omitting his feelings to her.

"Now what are we doing here this time?"

A familiar voice spooked Josephine who reluctantly turned her head to see Bryan sitting beside her.

"You're not..."

The corners of Bryan's mouth tugged a relaxed grin, "Just a figment of your imagination, Josie. Possibly not over my death which is normal for those who still grieve for their loved ones." He explained as the brunette's heart clenched. Her mind felt in a daze of this hallucination. "I told you that I would always be watching over you."

Her breathing became shaky. She blinked rapidly to avoid the tears pricking in her eyes to stream down.

"Fuck it." She murmured under her breath.

Maybe this hallucination of Bryan's ghost will enable some sort of clarity.

Josephine began telling him about the aftermath of his death. The night Buck stopped at her doorstep to profess his love to her. For her to reject him that night and the night at the hospital when they spoke. Of course, there was distance wedging between them. She couldn't fault Buck after breaking his heart not once but twice.

"I have one question. Do you have feelings for him?"

"I..."

Bryan observed Josephine whose lips parted to conjure an answer yet remained silent. His brow quirked as he hummed amusingly. "It seems like my question has been answered."

"Let's say I do have feelings for him, it doesn't mean I have to be with him...romantically." Josephine argued, tearing her eyes away from him and towards the city.

"Why? What's not easy being with Buck in that way?" The dark-haired man narrowed his head at her.

She let out a dry chuckle, "A lot of things. For one, we work under the same firehouse."

"That didn't stop you two from hooking up for a few months."

"Our friendship means too much to me that I don't want to risk of losing down the line." Josephine swallowed thickly. She reverted to Bryan's gaze and gestured him. "Look where we ended up. Besides, Buck deserves better than someone like me." She hung her head low.

"We've managed to find our way back to each other, something that you and Buck have done. Though we might not have that happy ever after. Doesn't mean the risk wasn't worth it." Bryan reminded Josephine that despite the failure of their relationship—loving him will be something she'll never regret. "Life is quite boring not taking a risk. That's something part of your job, am I right?"