Red stole over her cheeks. “I like it when you take care of me. I just didn’t like knowing you did it as a favor to Travis.”
“Never. I’ve always done it because ofyou.” I dropped a quick kiss on her forehead, then turned her over to the EMT.
Meanwhile, Joel and Sue—who must have been caught not far from the house—were getting looked over themselves, then loaded into the back of a police car. They’d tried to pin the blame on us, claiming we’d attacked them in their home for no reason, but even the idiots on our force could tell their stories didn’t add up.
Plus, Joel had some warrants out on him a few counties over, which didn’t help their case.
They both shot us glares and said something. Though we could see their mouths moving, we couldn’t hear them through the glass of the police cruisers.
Once Iris was cleared, with some cream for her wrists and ankles and instructions to rest, I hustled us home as quickly as possible.
A week later, we were both crowded around Iris’s phone when Travis called. I’d left him another message about Sue—this time with Iris’s input—but we wanted to tell him about us in person.Or as close to in person as possible without waiting another few months for him to be back in the country.
Travis took half a second to take in the view, then smirked. “Oh, nothing going on, huh? Treating her just like I would, are you, Jackson? I knew it. How long has this been going on behind my back?”
“Oh, you’re one to talk about keeping secrets,” Iris said. “But if you must know, just before you called last time.”
A self-congratulatory remark brewed behind Travis’s eyes, so I cut it off with, “Yeah, yeah, you figured it out. Congratu-fucking-lations.” Despite my dismissive tone, I couldn’t keep the smile off my face.
“So she’s your problem now? Guess you won’t bitch at me for asking you to keep an eye on her anymore,” Travis said, because he still had to make a smart remark in any situation.
“She doesn’t need anyone to keep an eye on her. She’s got a good head on her shoulders.”
“Um, hello? I’m right here,” Iris said, cuddling closer to my side before turning a disapproving look on Travis. “And Jackson told me all about how you two have been keeping Sue away from Oakdale Springs. You had no right!”
I sat back and let Iris and Travis have it out. I’d spent too long in the middle of their relationship, and I wasn’t going to put myself there again. I was on Iris’s side, now and forever.
They went back and forth a few times, Travis getting increasingly chastened, before Iris ended with a, “Don’t ever do it again!”
“I won’t. I’m sorry.” Travis raised his hands, the gesture barely in frame, remorse written all over his face. “You’re a big girl now; I understand.”
And that closed the topic, allowing us to move on to other things.
When we hung up with Travis, who had to promise Iris all over again that he’d be home in three months, I brushed a strand of hair out of her face. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I just miss him. And I worry about him.”
“Me too.”
We spent the rest of the afternoon packing Iris’s things up at her old place. She didn’t want to stay there, and I wanted her permanently moved in with me, so it worked out. Of course, she insisted on bringing the cat with her. Much as I wanted to, I couldn’t argue about it. Apparently she’d found the world’s first attack cat.
She’d named him Butterscotch. When I pointed out that he did not possess the required sweetness, she scoffed and said he was very cuddly and loving with her.
That cat still hated me, though. Luckily, it hated everyone else more.
And that night, I had a warm Iris in my bed, all melting and sweet under me. After seeing my best friend, knowing my people were safe, it couldn’t have been a better end to a better day.
Epilogue
Iris
Fourteen months later
It was almost time. Travis’s flight had landed an hour ago. Jackson had gone to pick him up from the airport, so they’d be home any minute, and I was driving myself out of my mind making sure everything was ready.
When tires crunched on the autumn leaves outside, I flew out the door, and my arms were around Travis before he’d even gotten out of the car.
My big brother. Safe and sound on solid ground. His arms wrapped around me for a long moment before we pulled back.
