“So it was a good decision to come home?”
“The best decision I’ve ever made. Other than the one I made as a kid to be your friend, that is.” He lifted her hand and kissed the back.
Her heart gave a little pitter-patter as she looked back out the window.
“But that’s not all you were thinking about.”
Elle frowned as she turned back to him. He was right. “What do you think will happen to Stephanie?”
His muscles visibly tensed. She probably shouldn’t care. The woman had tried to kill her, both by her own handandby hiring someone to do her dirty work, and in the process, she’d killed Boyd and shot Casper. Whatever happened to her, she’d brought on herself.
“It depends what her psych assessment ends up looking like, but regardless, she’ll likely be shut away from the public for life.”
Elle nodded. “Is it strange that I kind of feel sorry for her?”
“Not strange, Tink. You have a big heart. But she can’t be around people. It sounds like she wasn’t in the best mental state evenbeforeDean died, and his death tipped her over the edge.” He flicked his gaze to her before looking back at the road. “I hope she gets the help she needs though.”
“Me too.”
Jace turned right, and she saw Meridian up ahead, a few cars parked at the curb.
“You think we’re the last ones to arrive?” she asked, even though she already knew the answer.
He chuckled. “I know we are. You can blame me.”
It was definitely his fault. He’d decided to interrupt her shower and, well, then it had taken three times as long to get out of the house.
They were meeting his brothers, their partners and Avery at the bar. It was a Monday night, so the bar was closed, which meant they’d have the place to themselves while they ordered takeout for dinner.
Jace pulled up in front of the bar before looking at her. “Ready?”
“With you? Always.”
She climbed out, and Jace was by her side in seconds, slipping his arm around her waist and tugging her close.
When they stepped inside, it was to see the guys standing by the bar, and the women and Avery sitting around a table.Everyone looked up and greeted them with smiles. It felt warm and comforting…like family. Not just Jace’s family, a found family.
Elle made her way around the room to greet everyone, then Jace kissed her cheek before moving to the bar, while she took a seat beside Sadie.
Sadie grinned at her. “How are you doing?”
The woman had checked in on her every day over the last couple weeks, always with cupcakes and coffee in hand. She knew exactly how she was doing. “I’m really good, considering. Jace has been…God, I don’t even have words. Amazing. Loving. The best partner I could ask for.”
Sadie’s smile softened as she looked at the men. “They’re great guys, aren’t they? Strong. Protective. And man, do they love hard.”
That was exactly what the Walker brothers were. “I feel so lucky to have him,” she whispered. “For so long, I thought I had to let go of the idea of him and me together. I thought he’d never return my love in the way I needed.”
Sadie bumped her shoulder. “Yet he did. And I think he was always going to come back for you.”
Thank God for that.
“Sadie!” Avery yelled. “Tell them about the cookies we baked yesterday.”
Sadie looked at Avery, love in her eyes as she happily obeyed.
For the next hour, Elle tried to concentrate on the women around her, but she couldn’t stop staring at Jace.
She loved him. She loved him so much that sometimes when she wasn’t with him, she ached. And now he was hers, and she was his. She didn’t know what she’d done to deserve him, but she wasn’t going to question it…just appreciate every moment she got with him.
