How had I taken this for granted before?
I had my car, my girl, and my freaking unicorn. Maybe I could have a life again.
We pulled up to Jensen’s house, and I parked in the driveway. I still didn’t know what I thought about my decision to stay with Jensen. I loved my brother, and he had a freaking mansion, but it wasn’t my place. I knew it was the right decision to get rid of the house. It was not the best place for me right now. Especially considering the last time I’d been in it and what had happened. I didn’t want those memories. It definitely wouldn’t assist my recovery.
“Let me help with the bags,” Julia said.
She grabbed the box where I kept all of her letters. It popped open when she adjusted it in her hands. Then, she froze, and a slow grin stretched her face. “Are all of these…mine?”
“Did you think I’d gotten rid of them?” I asked.
She shrugged. “I didn’t know.”
“They were the only other things of value I had with me. My therapist got me the box as a going-away present. It’s from a Buddhist healing temple or hippie community or something. Not sure, but it’s handmade.”
Julia laughed. “It’s perfect. Your therapist has good taste.”
“He knew how important the letters were to me.” I paused before adding, “How important you are to me.”
She smiled shyly, as if this were the first time I’d ever said something like that to her before. She touched my arm just briefly. I wondered what she was thinking. Was I pushing her? Going too fast? I felt like I was going slower than our snail mail. I didn’t want to fall back into old habits, but I would do anything to crash into her all over again.
“I kept all of yours, too,” she finally said. Then, she turned to walk through the front door.
A thrill ran through me. I felt like she was slowly acknowledging where this was going. When I followed her through the front door, suitcase in hand, my heart nearly beat out of my chest.
“Welcome home!” the roomful of people cheered.
She whirled around to stare at me with her mouth open and hand over her heart, as if to say that she hadn’t known either.
I laughed and dropped the suitcase as I took in the scene before me in awe. A giant Welcome Home sign was slung from one side of the living room to the other. Blue and green streamers hung from the fan way up above. A sheet cake was on a table in the center of the room with Welcome Home, Austin! in big blue and green letters. A handprint took up one side, and I noticed that Jensen’s son, Colton, had icing on his face.
And the best part of all, of course, was that my entire wonderful family was all together. Jensen had his arm around Emery, trying to restrain Colton. Kimber and Noah were standing together, holding a sleeping Bethany. Lilyanne was laughing at Colton’s face, and I suspected she might have had something to do with it.
Landon and Heidi were lounging on the couch with giant smiles on their faces. Patrick stood by Morgan. Neither of them looked as if they’d admit that they were drawn together. Next to Morgan, I was surprised to see the new CFO, David Calloway, in attendance. I supposed anyone that high up in the company was now a member of the Wright family. I hadn’t seen him since the Fourth of July when he was interviewed, but we’d been so caught up with Maverick’s death that I didn’t get that much time with him.
Then, my eyes landed on Sutton. She was still a shadow of her former self, and I knew no amount of therapy would help her with Maverick’s death. Her only link to her husband was toddling around at her ankles.
“Thank y’all so much. This means a lot to me,” I said to the crowd.
“We’re glad to have you back,” Jensen said. “We thought it would be nice to have everyone here to grill out and relax tonight.”
“I think it’s a great idea. Feel free to start with the cake,” I assured them. “I’m going to put my suitcase away.”
I hurried up the steps and found the guest bedroom. I stashed the suitcase in a corner and then sank onto the bed. Fuck, I loved having everyone together, but fear crept through me. Events like this had always involved alcohol. Not that they would now, but…it was hard not to worry. Not to wonder.
I’d prepared myself for this kind of thing. But it was a bit much.
“Knock, knock,” Julia said, leaning into the guest bedroom. “You okay?”
I opened my mouth to tell her that I was fine. But I wasn’t. “A little overwhelmed actually.”
“I can see that. Don’t feel bad for taking a minute. They all care about you and won’t mind.” She set the box of letters down on a dresser and then came to sit next to me.