Thario chuckled. “Well, hopefully, I don’t screw this one up.”
“You’ll do great.”
They stayed for lunch, and Thario promised to get a few names for Elowen so she could check out their dogs. Soon, she would have Thario up for a visit. He seemed like a good guy who would do anything for his buddies. She liked that Griz had people in his life willing to help him. It wasn’t how she lived, but she really liked his friends.
Chapter 41
That afternoon,they headed to Danika and Sharp’s place. It was good to see everyone. She’d grown close to everyone when they’d been at the cabin, so it felt like a reunion. It was great to be with friends.
After they ate, the women were all sitting outside, and Nichole brought up her abduction. It felt weird at first, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to talk about it.
Nichole squeezed her hand. “I’m glad you’re okay. When I was overseas working on the medical clinic story, we ended up being taken captive. The worst part is I don’t know what happened while I was out.”
Elowen sucked in a breath. That’s what haunted her. What had the guy done?
Danika snorted. “That’s what they do, though. They want you to fear it. My ex would drug me up, and I have flashes of memories, but I don’t remember.”
“Yep,” Rowan said. “When I woke up, and my underwear was off, that still bugs me. What exactly did he do? Did he touch me, or did he have sex with me?” Rowan’s whole body shook.
“It’s a power play,” Asher said. “Guys like that want us afraid to live. If we’re afraid, then they can take more power.”
Elowen nodded. “I have no idea if he actually fucked me or just touched me. The rape kit came back showing no semen, but there was bruising. It’s the not knowing that is driving me crazy.”
Amelia reached out and squeezed her knee. “We’re here for you. If you need someone to talk to, give us a call.”
She nodded. “I talked to Thario today, and I decided that I’m getting a dog.”
A few of the women squealed, and the rest of them told her how excited they were for her. She was excited, too. Everything was coming together. She had her business on track, and she loved where she lived. Adding a dog to her family would make her feel safer. And soon, Griz would move to the cabin with her and help her run the place. She would have a woodworking space, and maybe she could do some custom furniture.
Though she’d lived through something horrific, life was good, or it was getting there. She could recover from this. Time would pass, and she wouldn’t forget, but she would have happiness, and that was what she would focus on.
Griz and the rest of the guys stepped outside. She stood and moved to Griz. His arm came around her, she looked up at him, and their gazes met. She never thought she would find someone she could love this much, but she already knew she loved Griz from when they were younger. Now that she’d found him again, that love had grown to be stronger than ever.
“You about ready to head home?” Griz asked.
She enjoyed chatting with the group, but she wanted to have some alone time with Griz. “Sure. I need some sleepsince I’ll be driving home tomorrow.” She almost laughed because she knew she wouldn’t get much sleep, and that wasn’t really the reason she wanted to go home with him. The thought sent heat through her, and she suspected her cheeks were pink.
Leaving took about thirty minutes because everyone wanted a hug. It felt good having so many people she could call friends.
Griz kept his arm around her as they walked to his vehicle. He stopped beside his car, and she turned to face him. He grazed her cheek with the back of his hand.
“You’re the best. I swear, I’ll never get used to having you in my life.”
His words brought a smile to her lips. “No, you’re the best. I’m glad we found each other again.”
He leaned in, and the kiss was sweet at first but turned sexy in seconds. He pulled back, his lips spread into a huge smile. “We should get home.”
She nodded. “Yes, we should.”
He held open the door for her, and she slid into the passenger seat. She was ready for this part of her life. Together, they would build something special because they were made for each other.
Epilogue
A year passedsince the crew had come to the cabin the first time. Now they were back, but this time it wasn’t their vacation. They were here for hers and Griz’s wedding. Asher’s baby, Crystal, seemed entranced by the trees. Since the weather was good, they were sitting outside while they chatted. Happiness filled her in a way she couldn’t have imagined a year ago.
The guys were fishing and promised to return with dinner. Elowen didn’t care if they caught anything because they had plenty of food in the freezer if they didn’t get any fish.
“Elowen, are you ready for tomorrow?” Nichole asked.
