Ellie shook her head. “See? Pure chaos.”
Dex lowered his forehead to hers. “I like chaos, so don’t even think about walking away, Ellie Parker. You’re not going anywhere. You have to nurse me back to health.”
“I should have listened to you and gone to the police,” she said.
“Maybe, but we can’t change the past, remember? We can only learn from it and move forward. All I ask is that you not date any more maniacs.” He felt the right side of his mouth lift into a teasing smile.
“I’m pretty sure I’ve found a guy that’s only a little maniacal, and he usually plays out that side of himself in the virtual world.”
He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her softly. “I thought I’d lost you,” he whispered.
She cupped his cheek. “You’ll never lose me again.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
SUNDAY AFTERNOON, DEX and Ellie went to NightCaps to meet Mitch and Regina and celebrate the release of World of Thieves II. In the last twenty-four hours, World of Thieves II had broken new-release sales records. With that level of success, Dex had no concerns about KI or any other competitor.
“You sure you’re okay with just Tylenol? It’s been only two days,” Ellie asked when they reached the entrance.
She’d hovered over him since they’d left the hospital, and her fierce protectiveness rivaled that of his mother, who had called him four times to make sure he was really okay.
“Ellie, it’s just a few stitches. Bet you didn’t know your boyfriend was so tough,” he teased.
“I always knew how tough you were.” She stood on her tiptoes, and he took her hand and led her up the first step, so they were nearly eye to eye; then he drew her close and kissed her.
A cab pulled up to the curb, and Dex reluctantly parted from the kiss, still holding Ellie’s hand with his unharmed one. He turned just in time to see Siena spin around and snap a picture on her phone.
“Ha!” she teased.
“What are you doing here?” Dex asked.
“You don’t think Regina would have a party without your family, do you?” Siena snapped another picture.
The door to NightCaps opened, and Regina and Mitch came outside. “Surprise!” they said in unison.
“Hey!” Dex hugged Regina and Mitch. “You guys could have told me you called everyone.”
Siena took another picture. “Then I wouldn’t have gotten that surprised look on film!”
“Wait,” Ellie said, surprising Dex. She stepped in front of him, then grabbed his arms and wrapped them around her waist. “Okay, Siena. Can you please take another picture?”
Dex knew how much courage it took for Ellie to not only be in the picture, but to ask for it to be taken. With the others milling around him, he didn’t want to call any more attention to her and make her uncomfortable, though his heart swelled with gratitude and love for her. He leaned down and whispered, “Thank you.”
She squeezed his hands and lifted her chin so she could see him. “Thank you, Dexy.”
“Oh, that is just the cutest picture I’ve ever seen!” Siena hurried over and showed it to them.
“I want a copy of that,” he said.
Savannah and Jack came down the sidewalk hand in hand. Jack looked happier than Dex had seen him in years. His thick dark hair brushed his collar, and as always, he wore leather hiking boots, making his six-four stature more like six-five. “Hey, baby brother,” Jack called. He opened his arms and embraced Dex. “Heard you beat the snot out of that guy.”
“To save his girl,” Savannah said with a sigh. She brushed her auburn hair to the side and hugged Dex and Siena; then she wrapped her arms around Ellie. “I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m so glad we’ve finally met.”
Ellie drew her brows together. “You have?”
Savannah touched Jack’s arm. “Jack has a couple great stories about coming home to visit late at night and finding you two snoozing together in Dex’s room.”
“You do? Why don’t I know this?” Dex asked.
Jack shrugged. “You were sleeping with your arms around her. I’m pretty sure you knew.”
“No, jackass. Why didn’t I know you knew?” Dex laughed.
“Wait, why didn’t I know?” Siena complained as they made their way into NightCaps.
“Sisters are always the last to know,” Savannah whispered to her.
As soon as they were through the doors, Mitch threw his arms up in the air and yelled, “Thrive!” There were only a handful of people in the bar, each of whom either laughed or looked at Mitch like he was crazy.
Dex high-fived him, then waited as the others filed past and greeted his parents and brothers. He pulled Ellie close. “I saw you cringe when Jack mentioned that he’d seen us sleeping together as kids.”
“Jack knew,” she whispered. “He must think I was a slut.”
“No way. If he did, he would have said something to me. Besides, maybe you can pretend you were so I don’t look like such a loser for not having sex with you back then.”
She punched his arm.
“Hey, don’t hit the wounded.”
“Don’t you dare let them think we did that.” She narrowed her eyes, and he held his hands up.
“I never would.”
“There you are,” his mother said as she approached. She wore wide-legged slacks and a white turtleneck adorned with various chunky necklaces in a multitude of colors.
“You look really pretty, Mrs. Remington.” Ellie let go of Dex’s hand to hug her.
“Joanie, please. I might have gray hair, but calling me missus just makes me feel older.” She embraced Ellie, then hugged Dex. She pulled back and brushed his hair from in front of his eyes. “You are a hero, but a scraggly one. Maybe you and Jack should go to the barbershop together.”
Dex rolled his eyes. “My hair is shorter than Sage’s.”
“Maybe, but that’s not saying much,” Rush said as he and Kurt came to greet them. Rush had always kept his hair on the shorter side. He said it was easier when he was on the slopes, and as a competitive skier, he spent half his life on the slopes.
“Rush, Kurt, jeez. I haven’t seen you guys in forever.” Dex hugged them both.
Kurt was the quietest of the Remington crew. As a writer, he tended to observe the banter rather than spark new conversations. Dex watched him now with his thick dark hair and serious eyes and realized that he was very much like Ellie.
“You guys remember Ellie.” He kept one hand on Ellie’s back as they each pulled her into a hug. Dex hadn’t ever thought about how his family had openly embraced one another, but watching them bring Ellie into their family fold brought that to the forefront. Remarkably, Ellie didn’t shy away from the intimate gestures. And when she flashed her eyes in his direction, he saw relief. He made a silent note in his mind of another freight-train-like impact Ellie had on his heart at that very moment. Her relief spoke volumes of her love for him and how far she’d come.
“I think Ellie brings you good luck, son.” His father wore a starched blue button-down shirt and dress slacks—always dress slacks. He patted Dex on the back with a proud smile. “She was there all those years ago while you developed that first indie game you released right after high school, and here she is again, the morning after another groundbreaking release.”
Before embracing Dex, his father reached out to Ellie, and the gesture squeezed Dex’s heart.
“Come on, little bro.” Sage put his arm around Dex and walked him to the bar, away from the others. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” Dex peered around him and was glad to see Ellie beside Siena and Savannah, looking at pictures on Savannah’s phone.
“I’m proud of you, with the game and all.”
“Thanks.”
“Listen, Mom told me that you know I spilled the beans to her about Ellie four years ago. I’m sorry. I was worried and thought she might have some words of wisdom.” Sage met Dex’s gaze with an apologetic look.
Dex couldn’t stay mad at Sage. “Whatever. No worries. What’d she say to you? Back then, I mean, because she never said a word to me.”
Sage ran his hand through his thick, wavy hair. “She said, Sometimes love hurts, and told me not to try to talk you out of your feelings for Ellie.”
Dex nodded. “You know, maybe Mom really is the smartest woman on earth.”
“Don’t let Ellie hear you say that.”
They joined the others and sat at the tables that had been pushed together in the rear of the bar, where a buffet-style lunch had been set up. Dex leaned around Ellie and tapped Regina on the shoulder. “Reg, I can’t believe you arranged all this. Thank you.”
She held her finger above Mitch’s head and pointed down at him. “He helped.”
“Yeah, well, someone had to do the heavy lifting,” Mitch said.
Regina rolled her eyes. “He means pushing the tables together.” She laughed and shoved Mitch. “I could have done it myself.”
“Well, thanks. I’m glad you got everyone together.” Dex squeezed Regina’s hand. “We have a lot to celebrate.”
As they filled their plates, Jack rose to his feet. “I want to propose a toast.”