“What happened?” she asks, moving toward me, worry on her face.
“Can we get the twins settled? I need to talk to you about something.” I already dread the words I’m about to say.
We get Lyra and Lawson settled with snacks and a movie in the living room, and then Leila drags me into the kitchen. She leans against the counter, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Okay, spill. What’s wrong?”
I take a deep breath. “Ridge fired me.”
“What? Why?”
“Because I told him he was an emotionally constipated asshole with the emotional range of an unplugged toaster and that he could kiss my ass,” I mutter, and despite the seriousness of the situation, a small smile pulls at Leila’s mouth. “Look, I know I probably should have handled it better, but I just... I couldn’t do it anymore, Leila. I hate it here. I hate this city and I miss our hometown. Honestly, I think it’s time I went back.”
“Go back? Like, for a visit?”
“Like move back,” I admit quietly. “I know we came here together a year ago, and we were supposed to be building this whole new life, but I can’t do it anymore. I’m broke, unemployed, and I’m pretty sure I just burned the only bridge I had in this city. And I want to go home.”
Leila pushes off the counter and pulls me into a hug. “Okay,” she tells me simply. “I get it.”
“You’re not mad?” I ask in surprise.
“Why would I be mad?” She pulls back to look at me. “You’re miserable and have been for months. You think I don’t see the way you look when you talk about home?”
“But I’m abandoning you,” I say as guilt crashes over me.
“You’re not abandoning me. You’re taking care of yourself,” she says. “Besides, you know Knox, Jagger, and Riven won’t let you move back without helping you figure it out first.”
As if on cue, the front door bangs open, followed by the telltale sound of a hockey equipment bag being dropped on the hardwood flooring in the hallway. A moment later, Jagger bounces into the kitchen, wearing his post-practice recovery gear and a beaming smile.
“Hey, baby,” he greets Leila, then pulls up short. “Abby, why do you look like someone kicked your puppy? What’s going on?”
Leila glances at me but stays quiet. It’s my news to share.
“Ridge fired me today,” I admit, watching his face. “I’m moving back home.”
I expect him to argue or to attempt to fix it by throwing money at the problem. Instead, he only nods slowly.
“Okay,” he says simply.
“Okay?” I repeat, thrown off by how casual he’s being.
“You should stay at our old place,” he says as I blink at him. “It’s just sitting there collecting dust, so you might as well have somewhere to live while you get back on your feet.”
“I couldn’t ask that of you,” I reply in shock, shaking my head. “It’s too much.”
“Nonsense, you’re our best friend.” Jagger waves his hand dramatically in the air. “If you don’t stay there, then you’ll force me to buy you your own place. And I know how you feel about handouts.”
“Jagger.”
“I’m serious, Abs. It’s not a handout. The house is sitting empty, and we have a friend who needs a place to stay. This is what family does.”
The word family hits me harder than I expect, but that is what they are. Leila is my best friend, her husbands are my brothers from another mother, and the twins are my favorite humans on the planet.
“Okay,” I mumble. “I’ll take it. But I’m going to find work and pay you guys back somehow.”
“We don’t want your money,” Knox says, appearing in the kitchen doorway. Exactly how long has he been standing there? “We want what’s best for you, and we won’t let you figure this out alone.”
Riven walks in behind Knox, and just like that the kitchen is full of hockey players.
