He chuckled.“Surprised you’re staying here and not at Bane’s.”
“This is part of the deal.Dad said I had to stay here.”
Forge lived at Bane’s, and Oz had, too, until he married Winslet.Forge had been talking about moving into the Bowens’ place, but he hadn’t yet.Locke and Gathe Bowen had their own house, and neither of them was hooked up with a woman.Bane was married with a kid now, and life at his house wasn’t what it used to be.
Oz straightened and dropped his arms to his sides.“Must be Mom’s Christmas present this year.Having you under her roof.”
I’d thought the same thing.Especially when I walked in the door and she wrapped her arms around me and held on to me for several minutes.In truth, getting to come back and stay for any amount of time felt like my Christmas present.The last time I’d stayed here overnight was for Crosby’s funeral, and that had only been one night before I had to go back.When I had come home for Oz’s wedding, it had been a day trip.
“We’re having a second Thanksgiving tomorrow, I hear.One where you’re at the table too,” Oz said.“Think you can talk her into something besides turkey and dressing?I had my fill already.”
I laughed and shook my head.“I’ve not had her dressing in years.Suck it up.I want that and her corn casserole.”
He groaned, then asked, “How’s Bama?”
I shrugged.“Fine.”Not Mississippi.Not home.
“I thought things were good there,” he said as he studied me closely.
“They are.”
We stood there silent for a moment.Oz was frowning as he waited for more.But I had nothing more to say about it.
“Doesn’t sound like it’s fine.”Concern was now in his tone.
“It’s not Madison.It’ll never be home.”Even after four years there, I still felt out of place.It was family, but not my family.I wanted to be here.I had grown up.I wasn’t the same hotheaded kid anymore.
“What about Noble’s daughter?”
Dwight Noble, head of the Alabama branch, would like his daughter, Jazz, to matter to me.We’d fucked, and I had tried to feel something for her.But she was so damn spoiled and whiny.It wore on my nerves.The fucking wasn’t good enough to make the rest of the package bearable.
“Not a thing,” I said.“We’ve fucked around, and she’s clingy, but I’ve never promised more.”
Oz cocked an eyebrow.“You’re just fucking around with Noble’s daughter?”
“Dixon fucked around with her before me.Except he wanted a relationship.She didn’t.Noble doesn’t care as long as she’s fucking inside the family.”
I wished she’d go back to Dixon.Maybe he’d stop sulking all the damn time.
“I can talk to Linc,” Oz said.“About you possibly getting to stay.Come home for good.I’ll take Bane with me.”
I didn’t want to get my hopes up about it.Linc Shephard was a hard-ass.Besides, he couldn’t make the final call.The boss would have to do that, and Blaise Hughes wasn’t one to change his mind.
“I doubt it will do much good,” I told him.
“Things change.You might be surprised.”
Oz walked over toward me, then wrapped an arm around my neck before pulling me in for a quick hug.“Glad you’re home, little brother.”
I was too.More than any of them would ever understand.They’d never been sent away.It was the loneliest feeling in the world.
Three
Cressida
I had forgotten what a full night of sleep felt like on a bed.Stretching as a smile spread across my face, I took in the bedroom that I still couldn’t believe was mine.This all felt like a Christmas miracle.It had been a very long time since luck had landed on me.I had fallen asleep last night pinching myself, sure that this was all a dream.The pretty yellow and blue room, with the early morning sunlight filtering through the curtains, felt safe.Something I’d not experienced for a long time.The realization that the sun was rising hit me.
My eyes fell on the clock on the bedside table, and it was ten minutes to seven.Had I really slept that late?I had to hurry and get to the kitchen.
