“What a sexy threat,” Griffin says. “You know what? This explains so much.” He points at me. “Eden, isthiswhy you?—”
“Can you please help me into my chair?” I cut him off.
As soon as both Nico and I are settled, Benji launches himself at Nico, wrapping him into a hug so enthusiastic it rolls his chair backward.
“I missed you,” Benji says into Nico’s shoulder. “I was really worried.”
Nico pats his back, and I can see him trying not to wince. “I missed you, too, kid.”
Griffin claps Nico gently on the shoulder. “It’s good to have you back, brother.”
“Good to be back,” Nico says.
Zoey nods at him from where she stands by the wall. Nico nods back at her. I can tell he’s trying to keep his control, fighting to stay serious, but now that I know him, it’s so easy to see how much he loves them.
“I organized all the documents you’ll need in the office,” Benji says. “Donny made sure the transition would be seamless.”
Nico’s face hardens, and I get a sudden pang of ripe hurt for him, followed by another realization: with Donny gone, Nico isn’t just Donny’s second anymore, or just our team leader.
He’s our boss.
I guess it was true in the hospital, but it feels extra real now, with papers waiting and no Donny to step out of the room and envelop Nico in a hug.
“I know what a big responsibility this is,” Nico says, straightening his shoulders. “I know I’m not Donny, but I promise that I’m going to do everything in my power to continue what he started.”
“We were waiting until you got home to say goodbye to Donny,” Benji says. “DJ suggested we do it tomorrow?”
Nico nods.
“Okay, enough of this somber shit,” Griffin says. “Bring it in, you guys.”
“What are you—” I start, but Griffin’s already moving, getting on his knees between the two wheelchairs and splaying his arms wide.
“Group hug,” he says.
Zoey steps backward. “Nope.”
“Come on, Zo, don’t leave me hanging here,” Griffin says.
“I’ll leave you hanging from a noose before I hug you,” Zoey says, but she wavers, then reluctantly kneels next to Griffin. He beams.
“Regular hugging can lower cortisol levels.” Benji gets on his knees on the other side of Griffin with this sleepy smile on his face. “While cortisol spikes can actually curb inflammation in short periods, chronically high stress slows the healing process. Eden and Nico need to keep their cortisol levels down.”
“I can think of some ways they’re planning to keep their cortisol levels down,” Griffin says, and DJ smacks him over the head as she kneels across from him.
Nico reaches out to grasp my shoulder, and suddenly we’re all tangled together. Nico’s wheelchair bumps into mine. Benji looks mildly overwhelmed but more happy than not. Zoey is clearly hating every second but doesn’t pull away. Griffin has this proud grin on his face. DJ is smiling through sniffles, and for once in his life, Bob isn’t barking at anyone. Nico is looking at all of us like he thought he would never see us again.
I look around at these people, my team, and for the first time in eight years, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
I’m home.
Griffin claps, and we untangle ourselves.
“Well, that was adorable,” he says. “Now onto more pressing matters. What are we doing for dinner?”
CHAPTER 55
NICO
