“Avery Jane Harlowe,” I said sternly, “I thought you were goin’ home.”
She turned, but she didn’t move.She looked unsure.And she had good reason.
“I’m sorry,” I said.“I didn’t mean to scare you tonight.”
Carefully, she said, “Cody deserved every punch.What scared me was you pushin’ me away.”
Yeah, it scared me too.
“My only excuse is that I’m not used to relyin’ on other people.For a long time, it’s just been me.I thought I had to stay away from the people I love.I doubt every decision I make and every single thing I do, and I’ve been so worried to hurt people by my actions and decisions.I didn’t wanna hurt you.”
She dropped the phone and bag.Something soft but heavy inside thunked on the sidewalk, and AJ rushed to me.Her body slammed into mine, and my arms wrapped around her like they’d done it a million times.
Into my shirt, she mumbled, “I couldn’t leave you in there alone.”
“I’m filthy,” I said, trying to put some distance between us so she wouldn’t get dirty too.She’d showered and changed; the ruined dress was long gone, and in its place were jeans and a white José’s Diner long-sleeved Tee.Her hair lay shiny and clean, and it flowed behind her like a waving curtain of silk.
“I don’t care.Now hug me properly, and then you can change.I did go home, but it took me less than five minutes to know thatyouare my home.So instead of sittin’ there and freakin’ out, I hopped in the shower, washed that asshole’s disgusting cooties off me, got dressed, and then banged on Mr.Henly’s door until he opened up his store so I could get you some new clothes.”
Pulling her close again, I rested my chin on the top of her head.I breathed in her wildflower scent and wondered if it was some kind of laundry detergent she used.But no.It was just AJ.
“You did that for me?”
“’Course I did,” she said.“Did you think I’d just leave and never speak to you again?What you did tonight— Maybe you don’t see it the same way, but you stood up for me.You fought for me.You could’ve walked away.You probably should have—you have Stuart to think about now—but you didn’t.”
“I could never.I love you.”
Pushing up on her toes, she untangled her arms beneath mine and wrapped them around my neck, placing a sweet kiss on my lips that lingered there like magic all its own.The look in her eyes was unguarded and open, and they lit up like moonlight when she smiled.
“I know you do.I love you too, so don’t you ever tell me to go away again.Wherever you are is where I wanna be, so let’s get you dressed, and then your sister mentioned a big ol’ bed at her house with our names written all over it.”
“They don’t need to do that.I can stay at my place.Cody’s in jail.I’m not worried about him comin’ back for us.Or I could stay with you… if you’re cool with that.”
“I’m very cool with that,” she said, “but I think your family wants you close.They’ve been really worried about you.It took Deputy Sims practically puttin’ Bax in a chokehold to stop him from goin’ after Cody when they were shovin’ the prick in the back of none other than big, bad County Sheriff Michaels’s cruiser for his personal escort to jail.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, and Bax told me later that everybody knows the Mahone Ranch and that nobody likes or trusts them.If the law doesn’t deal Cody some justice, you might have to worry about your brother roundin’ up a bunch of cowboys and startin’ a posse to go after that idiot.”
I laughed.I could picture it perfectly and it filled me up with pride and hope.
“Okay,” I said, pulling my fingers through soft strands of her hair, “but tomorrow, there’s a pretty big conversation I need to have with my mama.Will you be there?”
“Yes, I will.Just like I want you to be there when I confront my dad.I’ve decided to try to find him.There’s some things I need to say to him.”
I kissed her and mumbled against her lips, “Look at us, doin’ the healthy shit.”
“For you and me,” she promised, “and for Stu, I’d do anything.”
Openingmy eyes the next morning, the quiet hum of my sister’s air conditioner tried to lull me right back to sleep.I stretched and felt every sore muscle and my scraped-up knuckles, and the reality of last night woke my ass right up.
I sat, and the blanket warming AJ’s still sleeping body pooled around my hips.
It seemed odd to me that the sun could be so bright and happy, shining in Abey’s guest room window, when things last night had been so dark.
But that was life—lights and darks, and sometimes they ran together, mixing and moving within each other, creating numberless colors for us to exist in.
Waking up next to such sweet, unconditional love didn’t feel wrong this time.AJ was all those colors mixed up in one flawed and dynamic woman.With her leg tangled between mine, her soft snore rumbling beneath the covers, and her hair spilled over her pillow like pale, yellow sunlight, I felt redeemed and forgiven and…home.
