He winks at me.
Noah
No one told me, but I’ve been seeing the way you’ve looked at Juju since the day she moved into our neighborhood in St. Paul. So…I guess you could say I’ve known the longest.
Tully
True. I have noticed that myself. Okay, you guys are off the hook. But next time, SHARE. Sharing is caring, dammit!
Dylan
What Tull said.
Camden
You guys are unbelievable. But I guess I love you anyway.
He looks at me sheepishly, and I tug his head down and kiss him with everything I have in me.
When we finally break apart, he pushes my hair back and studies my face. “Are we really okay?”
“Yes,” I whisper.
“I’m so sorry for all the hurt I’ve caused you, Juju. When we were kids. Now. That you’ve never known how badly I wanted you…or how much I wanted to be standing next to you, doing every part of our life together. I regret all the ways I’ve lashed out and tried to deflect my feelings…I’m sorry for all of it. Most of all, for how much time we’ve lost.”
“We’re here now. Clean slate. I forgive you. I’m sorry for all the times I lashed out at you too.”
“I deserved it.”
“Yes, you did.” I laugh.
“Thank you for giving me a chance. It means everything…youmean everything to me.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
TECHNICALITIES
CAMDEN
Kevin is at my feet as I get my coffee, and I stop and scoop him up. I nuzzle his face, and he pants his little dog breath all over me. I know I’m supposed to think dogs stink because they do, but I like it.
Sue me.
“There’s the guy everyone’s talking about,” Grandma Donna says as she comes over to pat me on the arm.
Kevin wiggles to get out of my grasp, and when I set him down, he goes over to twirl by Grandma Donna’s feet. She gets out his food, and after he’s gotten his scratches from her, he digs in.
“Good gravy, I had no idea what we were walking into yesterday,” Grandma Nancy says. She comes over, holding up a large pan of baked French toast. “Here, have some breakfast.” She looks at the clock. “Okay, it’s almost lunchtime, but we were up late.”
“I’m supposed to meet Juju in just a few minutes.”
“Oh, have her stop by here, would ya?” Grandma Donna asks. “I didn’t get a chance to hug her yesterday. I want to welcome her into the family.”
I wave my phone and text Juju real quick to see if they could stop by here before we go out. Then I grin at Grandma Donna.
“Well, she’s always kinda been part of the family…” I say. “But she still isn’t technically yet…”
“Oh, fer crying out loud,” she says, her shoulders shaking with her laugh. “When are you gonna make an honest woman out of her?”
