“I love you too, Lina. You are family now,” she soothes, rubbing my back. She then beckons Chiara, who hesitates but eventually joins our hug. “And I love you too, missy,” Sophia murmurs.
We pull apart after a moment, and Sophia grins at Chiara. “I bet we’ll have a blast with Howie here. The guys went shoppingfor his clothes. Wouldn’t it be fun to give him a makeover? Maybe cut his hair and such?”
Chiara’s eyes light up. “Oh my God, can I? Maybe even do a before-and-after video?”
I chuckle. “If he’s okay with it. But let’s wait until he’s recovered a bit more,” I offer, knowing Howie might not be thrilled but would never say no to Chiara.
That is just karma for telling Xander about the bearded angel.
“All right, girls, we have packing to do and fresh sheets to lay out,” Sophia commands, clapping her hands.
I still can’t believe they arranged all of this. To give Howie a home on top of everything they have done for Chiara and me. I simply will never be able to pay them back or show them enough gratitude, as words won’t cut it.
We stand in front of the house, waiting for them, having just put new sheets on the bed and finished moving my stuff into the guest room on the guys’ side.
The Ford pulls up in front of the house with Clay driving. The doors open, and all the guys step out, leaving Howie struggling with the big step. Xander stands in front of him, places his hands under his arms, and effortlessly lifts him down, setting him on his feet in front of me.
“Holy crap,” Howie mutters, looking at me, eyebrows raised so high they almost touch his hairline.
“I know, right?” I whisper back, chuckling and pulling him into a hug. I’m careful not to squeeze too tight, but he pulls me closer anyway.
“Kiddo, are you sure you want me here?” he asks, his voice shaky. “I don’t want to taint your new life. I can go back to the shelter to recover. They have a bed, and soon, it’ll be warm enough to stay outside again.”
“Stop that shit,” I whisper in his ear. “There’s no new life without you. I’ve told you this.” I release him and step back, wiping away a tear with my hoodie sleeve. “Besides, this wasn’t my idea. Xander and Sophia planned this for us.”
Sophia steps forward, smiling at Howie. “Hey, Howard, I’m Sophia, and I’m thrilled to have you as my new roomie,” she greets, hugging him gently.
“How do I like her already?” Howie mock-whispers to me over her shoulder.
“She tends to grow on grumpy people.” I shrug, making the guys chuckle.
Joshua approaches me, giving me a side hug and a kiss on the temple. “I’m looking forward to my new roomie too.” He grins.
“No way, back off. You had her last night. Tonight, she’s with us,” Clay states, pulling me from Joshua’s embrace.
“We’ll figure that out later,” Xander intervenes. “For now, let’s get the stuff from the bed.”
They do, and Sophia leads the way to her side of the house. I hold Howie’s hand, guiding him gently inside and up the stairs. He’s still not fully recovered and obviously needs rest.
Once inside his new room, he looks around in awe. Turning to Sophia, he bites his cheek.
She apologizes, “I know it’s a bit feminine with the pastel colors, but maybe we can repaint it when you’re feeling better? Get some things to make it more your style? I bet Chiara would help. I’d love to redecorate.”
“Nonsense, I love pink. There’s a bathroom,” he points out, glancing at the en suite.
“It’s just a shower. If you ever want a bath, just ask, and you can use mine in the master bedroom,” Sophia offers.
He chuckles sadly. “This feels like a five-star vacation I don’t deserve.”
I guide him to the bed and pull back the covers. He looks cleaner than I’ve ever seen him, dressed in dark gray sweatpants and a black hoodie. They seem comfy, so I gesture for him to get in. He sits, propped against the headboard, caressing the sheets.
“It’s not a vacation, but I’d love for us all to take one soon. We haven’t been anywhere other than Korea in ages,” Sophia suggests, smiling at me. “What do you think, Carolina? Maybe somewhere on the beach? Get a tan and relax?”
“Sure,” I say, covering Howie with the blanket and smirking at him. “Let me know when I’ve won the lottery.”
“I’ve already won,” Howie mutters, squeezing my hand. “I don’t need a vacation.” He smiles at Sophia. “This is more than enough.”
FORTY-FOUR
