I nodded. “But just him.” I didn’t want to see Lucy. If she’d evencome.
Sarah hugged me again before getting up and letting Jeb inside. “Do you want me to stay,Ness?”
“No. I’ll call you when I gethome.”
“I meant in the room. I’ll be out in the hallway. It’s a real party outthere.”
I grimaced. “Can you get everyone to leave? Idon’t—”
“Say no more. Your wish is my command. Bye,BB.”
“BB?”
“Short for Boulder Babe.” She winked before pulling the dooropen.
I eyed the red jacket. If I hadn’t been scarred, it might’ve amused me to wear it, but now . . . now people would surely laugh if I donnedit.
“Ness!” My uncle barreled past Sarah and reached my bed before she’d even closed the door. He hugged me so tight it squeezed anoomphfrom my lungs. “I think I’ve aged a decade in the past week. Between you and Lucy.” He didn’t mention Everest, but I sensed my cousin was never far from Jeb’smind.
“I heard you got the innback.”
“Thanks to you.” He let me go, but then his hand moved to my stringy hair. I let him tuck it behind my ear and inspect the mutilation. His lips pressed so tight they vanished completely in his thick beard. “If Liam hadn’t burned her body, I’d—I’d. . .”
“He burned herbody?”
“Yes. So she could rot in hell next toAidan.”
Had that been his reasoning, or had Liam worried the silver in her blood would contaminate the soil? For whatever reason he’d done it, I was glad she was well and trulygone.
“I saw Greg signing the discharge papers. Ready to comehome?”
I nodded, but then asked, “Which home,though?”
He smiled gently, skating his palm over the side of my face that wasn’t injured. “Whichever one you want? You have many now. I kept the apartment. August got a team together to clean and repaint your house, so it’s ready too. And the inn, there’s always a room with your name on it. It’s completely up to you,honey.”
“Where are youstaying?”
“Wherever you’llbe.”
I smiled at him. “You don’t need to take care of me anymore,Jeb.”
“Who’s going to take care ofme?”
“I’m half-blind.” My voice was a crackedwhisper.
“You’re half-sighted.” He combed another lock of hair behind my ear. “And the best way of taking care of a person is to spend time with them and love them. You’re really good atthat.”
“You have Lucynow.”
“And what? I can’t havetwowomen in mylife?”
“I know she apologized, but I’m not ready to live withher.”
“Then you won’t. She’ll stay at the inn. And I’ll stay wherever you want to live.” He stood, extended his hand, palm face up, and waited for me to latch onto it. When I did, he said, “So where shall wego?”
“The apartment,” I said withouthesitation.
It had been a safe haven, unlike the inn, unlike my parents’ house. “I might need some clothes though . . .” I tipped my head to my bare legs poking out of the hospitalgown.
