“If you need help while he’s gone, let me know,” Dallas offers.
“I appreciate the offer. But an old friend of mine offered to help me out.”
“Old friend?” Lily practically chokes.
Griffin nods. “Asher is coming back for a bit. He’s staying in Bonneville, but it’s close enough still that he’s open to working for me while he’s here.”
My eyes continue to watch Lily. I notice her entire body stiffen, but she relaxes quickly, so no one catches it before she nods. “Gotcha,” she finally says, but it comes out hoarse. Like it’s the last thing she wanted to hear.
“Ash is coming back?” Nan gasps.
Griffin shrugs. “That’s what it sounds like. I’m not sure what his deal is. I mean…I know why he left.” He pauses, and the entire room falls quiet. I look around at everyone, and they have their heads down like they know, too. I have no idea what to think, but I’m curious. “I just don’t know why he’s coming back now, after all these years.”
“It will be nice to have him around,” Nan says. “That boy might have always been trouble, but I liked him more than I like all of you.”
“That’s a lie,” Tucker says flatly.
“Is it?” Nan raises an eyebrow, smirking as she turns and walks into the kitchen.
I look at Lily, and I can tell the change of subject is welcome. I turn to Blair, and she’s looking at her, too, with questions in her eyes, and I know the next time we get together it will be brought up.
The conversation shifts to Dallas for a bit about what it waslike on the East Coast as we all clean up the food scattered around the tables.
Then everyone starts to leave.
Lily embraces me in a hug and whispers, “I’m so proud of you,” in my ear.
I lean my head to whisper in hers. “Are you okay?”
She pulls back, a weak smile on her lips. “I hope so.”
Dallas slaps Tucker on the shoulder. “Don’t let fame go to your head.”
Tucker smirks. “Never.”
Poppy hooks an arm in Nan’s elbow to physically guide her out before she can take home my throw pillows and leftover cheese.
Once everyone is gone, the house is empty and it’s just Tucker and me.
The kind of quiet that used to scare him.
The kind of quiet that used to send my brain into overdrive.
Now it feels like peace.
I stand in the entryway for a moment, staring at the teal wall. Tucker steps behind me, close enough that I can feel his warmth without him touching me. When he finally reaches out, his hand slides around my waist, pulling me back against his chest.
“You stayed,” he murmurs into my hair.
I smile softly, leaning into him because I know what he’s saying. He’s reminded me often since we finished the show and I moved into this house that I never knew existed.
I turn in his arms, looking up at him. His eyes are softer now than they’ve ever been. The hard edges he built to hide everything inside of him are worn down by comfort and the truth that he isn’t alone anymore.
“I did. I stayed.” I pause, the curve in my lips stretching higher. “I think you should, too.” He tilts his head in confusion. “Here. With me. Stay here with me. I’m asking you to move in with me so you don’t have to keep leaving when you don’t have to.”
His hands tighten around my waist, and he lowers his forehead to mine. “Here?”
I nod. “You said this was always your dream home, right?”
