“Nope, she’s in Atlanta for her granddaughter’s wedding. Why?”
Eastern sighed. “Thought that was around now. I keep hoping Sadie will come back to visit. Avery misses her.”
“Maybe after the honeymoon?”
“Yeah, maybe.” Then his brother grinned. “Guess which brother’s thinking about coming home?”
Kayden straightened. “You’re shitting me? Jace or Lock?”
“Jace. Said he’s making plans to get out.”
“I didn’t think that would ever happen.” Jace wasn’t just the youngest brother, he’d sought out adventure since the day he was born.
Eastern nodded. “No shit.”
Together, they finished cleaning up, then Kayden plated the desserts and set them on the table. Avery jumped in her seat, her eyes so wide Kayden wondered if she was going to leap across and grab everything. She didn’t—she’d been raised too well for that. But the second Kayden told people to dig in, she was the first to grab her favorite double chocolate chip cookie.
When everyone had something on their plate, Harper sighed and leaned into Cody’s side. “We should do this more often.”
Eastern nodded. “I wouldn’t say no to that.”
Kayden slipped an arm around Tilly’s shoulders and tugged her closer, pressing a kiss to her temple. She glanced up at him, her smile so wide and radiant, he couldn’t stop his own smile. “You look happy.”
Her features softened. “I am. It’s crazy, isn’t it, with everything going on, that I can smile and laugh and feel good?”
“Not crazy, honey. You deserve to be happy.”
“Are you? Happy?”
“Happier than I’ve been in a long time.” Possibly ever.
CHAPTER 27
Tilly sighed as she pulled up in front of her parents’ house. She’d spent all day at the library studying for her final exams.
She was almost there, then she’d have her business degree and could finally get a full-time job. Maybe then she’d move out of her childhood home.
Ha. Yeah, right. Leave her mom? That wasn’t something she was ready to do…not just yet, anyway. Some people were close to friends from high school. Some had siblings or partners they barely separated from. Her mother was her best friend, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Grabbing her bag from the passenger seat, she climbed out of the car, frowning when she saw her father’s car wasn’t in the driveway. Strange. Most days he worked from home and was almost always here, especially in the evenings.
Maybe he was out with friends. He often went to the bar with Harry or Ted.
She climbed onto the porch and stepped into the house, the frown deepening when she saw most of the lights were off. Not only that, but the place was cold. Had her mother not turnedthe heat on? She always had the heat on. Sometimes Tilly joked that she made this place a sauna.
“Mom?”
Nothing.
With slow steps, she moved into the living room, then the kitchen. Empty. Where was everyone?
She dropped her bag onto the kitchen island before moving to the bedroom. The second the door opened, she stopped.
Her mother stood by the window. Her back was unnaturally straight, and she had a phone pressed to her ear.
“Mom?”
One more beat of silence, and her mother finally turned, eyes red-rimmed, face blotchy…she’d been crying.
