“She already is,” Ashton said.
Theo’s brow furrowed. “Charlie and I get to change our last names to Dupree too, right?”
“Absolutely,” Ashton said. “We’ll get the ball rolling as soon as I find Uncle Holden.”
“Then this is it,” Theo said. “We’re not the Aiken family anymore.”
“Nope,” Ashton said, beaming. Having to go by Sam Aiken had been the hardest part of Witness Protection for him. Even if he had chosen the name Sam, not being a Dupree had eaten him up inside. He felt like he was betraying his family. I could see the guilt in his eyes at that moment.
“How about we toss out our fake names,” I said. “Right here, right now.”
“Yeah.” Charlie nodded. “Let’s take turns. We’ll say our names into our hands, ball them in our fists, and throw them out the window at the same time.”
“I like it.” Ashton grinned. “Charlie, you start us off.”
She lifted her shoulders and let them drop. “Ava,” she coughed into her palm and curled her fingers into a ball.
“Mason,” Theo said next.
Jane, who had no clue what we were doing, spit into her hand. She had the name we’d chosen for her in the hospital.
Ashton shook his head. “I still can’t believe you talked me into naming her after Jane Eyre.”
I winked. “Admit it. You’d do anything for me.”
“Clearly,” Ashton said and breathed the name, “Samuel,” into his fist.
I glanced at each of them, my heart breaking for the millionth time that they’d had to live a clandestine life all because of me.
Ashton pressed his unfisted hand against my face. “It’s not because of you.” His eyebrow flicked up. I swear the man could read my mind. “It’s because ofthem. It’s over now. No regrets.” It was the pep talk he always gave me.
I leaned into his touch and nodded. Then I lifted my hand and whispered, “Nora.”
Charlie held out her fist and we each laid ours one on top of the other.
“Hold up.” Ashton rolled all the windows down and the smell of home hit my nose with a punch that made me tear up.Honeysuckle and fresh cut grass. “We’re throwing them far out. Like as far as you can get them.” Then he turned back. “Ready.”
“All right.” Charlie grinned. “Dupree on three.” She bounced. “One, two, three.”
“Dupree!” We yelled, each throwing our names out into the Seddledowne air.
We rolled the windows up and got out of the car. Cello music greeted us, bringing a reverent calm over our group.
“No messing up your clothes,” I said in a warning.
“We won’t, Mom,” Charlie said.
Ashton lifted Jane into his arms. “And don’t forget to hug?—”
“Uncle Ford,” Theo and Charlie said, speed-walking ahead.
“I think we’ll be hugging Ford for weeks,” I said to Ash. “He’ll probably get sick of us.”
Ashton chuckled. “Not likely.”
We owed everything to Ford. The feds had offered to put Ford into Witness Protection after shooting Trevor but he’d declined. Instead, he’d spent an exorbitant amount of money to hire a high powered technical surveillance team who pinpointed my ex-step-father’s whereabouts and actions down to the centimeter. And they didn’t stop until they had enough evidence to put him away for two life sentences, making it possible for Witness Protection to become a distant memory. We’d only gotten word of the ruling late last night that my ex-step-father’s trial was over and we were free to go home. We’d packed our things, hopped straight in the car, and driven all night to get here. And we didn’t call the Duprees. We wanted to surprise them.
Once we came around the corner of the barn and the entire Dupree family, minus Anna, came into view, Theo and Charlie couldn’t hold back. I looked up at Ashton as he tookthem all in. His eyes glistened and the grin that spread across his face was the biggest I’d ever seen.
