I hadn’t.
Despite everything that had transpired the last few weeks, I’d held firm to that resolve. I’d leaned on my friends in a way that my old self wouldn’t have. I’d opened up freely to them on those nights when I’d struggled most.
Sarah and Danny had both spent the night more than once, Piper called daily, and the guys that weren’t overseas had all checked in frequently. I had an entire family who worked every day to show me that the trust I’d worked so hard to share wasn’t misguided.
I’d never felt so lucky.
My phone rang, the sound shrill and shocking in the quiet space. Trixie and I both jumped before I sprang for it.
“Is he home yet?” Piper’s voice asked, her urgency barely suppressed.
“The answer is the same as the last time you called,” I answered with a practiced sigh.
And when Danny and Sarah called, I thought.
“Sorry, I’m just impatient,” she replied, eliciting a snort from me.
“You’reimpatient?”
She laughed. “I know. I know. The world doesn’t revolve around me and my emotions. It’s a hard concept to grasp.”
I laughed, so grateful for my friend and her ability to distract me. My friends and my music had been a wonderful distraction.
That didn’t mean I didn’t miss my man like crazy. After three long weeks, I could barely stand it.
“Well, I’ll let you go so you can continue to pace a hole into your floors,” she said dryly.
She knew me too well.
“You have to call me when you tell him. At least text me,” she added pleadingly.
“I will,” I promised with a smile and a yawn.
“Let’s go wait for him in bed,” I suggested to Trixie after hanging up with Pipe. I’d perfected my dog monologue in the past three weeks.
I curled into our bed, lifting the covers so Trixie could burrow underneath.
“Baby.” His deep voice was like a dream as it floated over me.
“Hmm?” I murmured.
His warm, calloused hand ran over my cheek. “I’m home.”
My eyes sprang open and I sat up suddenly. “You’re here!” I exclaimed. I’d fallen asleep with the lights on and I was grateful of that fact as I got my first look at my handsome man. He sat on the edge of the bed in his formfitting black pants and camos. He’d buzzed his hair again right before leaving. It made his features that much more striking. I admired the brightness of his eyes as they stared warmly back at me.
I threw my arms around him burying my face in his neck. “I meant to wait up. I didn’t even realize I’d fallen asleep.”
His hand stroked my back. “That’s okay. It’s late.”
I nodded, still clutching him tight. “Missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” He sighed.
We stayed like that until Trixie nosed her way between us, eager to get a little love from Sid.
He chuckled, tickling her ears before his eyes returned to mine. “Everything okay while I was gone?”
My cheeks grew warm as I bit my lip and nodded.
