My mouth fell open in shock as I tried doing the math in my head. I sucked in a startled gasp when I finally reached the number, using my hand on his chest to shove him backward and shoot up. “Three and a half million?” I shrieked. “You gave me and Brant three and a half million?”
“Technically, the old man stole three and a half million. But I’ll get it back, sunshine. And I’m gonna enjoy the hell out of it when I do. And like I told you, even with that gone, I’ve still got more than enough left.”
“Holy shit,” I breathed in wonder. “Holy. Shit. My man’s a millionaire.”
He grabbed my hips on a chuckle and pulled me over so I was straddling his waist. “I thought you didn’t care about shit like money. I thought you loved me for me.”
“Well of course, but I love you a whole hell of a lot more now that I know you’re loaded,” I said drolly.
At my joke, he dug his fingers into my ribs and began tickling me until I was thrashing around and out of breath from screaming and laughing. I gave in when he flipped me to my back and pinned me beneath him. “Okay, okay! I love you for you! You could be a penniless bum on the side of the road, and I’d still love you.”
“Good to know,” he said, looking down at me with a smile that warmed me from the inside out. With the moonlight filtering through the bedroom windows I was able to see his face melt into a tender expression and his eyes gleam with happiness that I felt down to my very soul. “God, sunshine. So fucking happy to have you back.”
“Me too, Jens,” I whispered, my voice jagged with emotion.
“Think it’s possible for you to get next weekend off so me and the boys can move you and Brant into your new home?”
If this had been a month ago, or hell, even a week ago, I would have balked at the idea of losing out on weekend tips, knowing I wouldn’t be able to make it without that money. But everything was different now. I wasn’t in this alone anymore. Jensen was back, but it wasn’t only that. It was everyone I had in my life. It was Caroline and Scooter, Stone, Farah and Cannon, Jase and Poppy, Wynn, and all the other people in this town who I loved and who loved me back. If I stumbled or fell, I had an entire support system at my back to help me up and dust me off.
“I think that can be arranged.
“All right, baby. Then it’s settled.”
With that done, we snuggled back together, and I fell asleep in the arms of the man I loved, exactly where I was supposed to be.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Shane
“Baby, you gotta relax,” Jensen said for the third time in the span of the short car ride from my house to Aunt Caro and Uncle Scooters. “Everything’s gonna be fine, you’ll see.”
I appreciated his positivity, but I wasn’t feeling it. I still had my doubts. I let out a noncommittal grunt, making him laugh as he reached across the bench seat of his old truck and placed his palm on my thigh, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
“Told you already, I talked to him and it’s all good. You’ve got nothing to worry about, sunshine.”
“Maybe,” I grumbled to the windshield, still unable to fully relent. “I guess we’ll see.”
The truth was, I was actually really nervous. Caroline and Scooter were hosting a barbecue for the whole family at their place, something they’d done frequently over the years. It was nothing new for any of us. Hell, even Jensen had been a part of several of them back in the day. But this was the first time I’d be seeing my brother since our fight, and I was worried as hell what his reaction would be when he saw me and Brantley with Jensen in tow.
Their cozy yellow house came into view, and Jensen turned the wheel, guiding his truck up the driveway with an ease that made it seem like he hadn’t been gone from this part of our lives for years. It was almost as if the comfort he used to feel when he was here never left. Like he was coming home again. I loved seeing him like that.
“You think Uncle Scoot’ll make s’mores again?” Brantley asked, bouncing in his booster in the back seat. He’d been on a s’mores kick ever since his last sleepover with my aunt and uncle. It was to the point he was asking for the marshmallow-y treat for every damn meal.
Turning to look into the back of the cab, I gave my boy a smile and stated, “I think that’s probably a safe bet.” Even if it wasn’t on the menu, as soon as Scoot found out Brantley wanted them, he’d put his ass on his bike and head for the nearest store to get everything he needed. To say my son was spoiled by the closest thing he had to grandparents was putting it mildly.
“Look Mommy!” he shouted, already distracted from the topic of s’mores as he pointed out the window. “Uncle Stone’s here!”
Sure enough, my big brother—and another of my son’s favorite people—was standing on the wrap-around porch as we pulled up, his tatted arms cross over his chest, shoulder leaning casually against one of the posts.
“Calm,” Jensen said under his breath as his hand on my thigh squeezed. He put the truck in park, and I immediately climbed out and moved to the back passenger door, knowing I had exactly two point five seconds to get my kid out of his booster before he started to lose it. Sure enough, as soon as I got him unbuckled, he hurdled past me and ran to the porch.
I turned and watched silently as Stone crouched, caught Brantley mid-jump. He tossed my boy in the air, catching him with ease before bringing him back down and propping him on his hip. “Hey, monster. How you been?”
“Good! Uncle Scoot got s’mores?”
My brother’s white teeth flashed with a grin beneath the layer of scruff that coated his jaw. “Not sure. Why don’t you go check it out, yeah?”
At Brantley’s squirming, Stone placed him back on his feet so he could take off, rounding the side of the house toward the back where my aunt and uncle were probably already set up.
Without my kid as a distraction, Stone’s attention finally turned to me. There was no missing the contrition that flashed in his eyes as I stood immobile at the side of the truck. I was trying my best to move on from my abandonment issues and the resentment they caused, but I was still a work in progress, so there was still a part of me that had trouble trusting everything was going to be great from here on out. Like my aunt had pointed out the week before, I was struggling with waiting for that other shoe to drop, but I was getting better.
“Come on, baby,” Jensen coaxed when he reached my side. His palm hit the small of my back so he could guide me forward.
I kept my focus pinned on Stone as we got closer, watching closely for his reaction to seeing me pressed up against Jensen.
To my hesitantly delighted surprise, I could see there was no malice in his eyes when he looked to my man, acknowledging his presence with a jerk of his chin. Jensen returned the man version of a greeting with a muttered, “Stone.”
He looked back to me with a small grin tugging at his lips. “Hey, squirt. Think we can talk for a second?”
Before I could answer, Jensen leaned in, pressing a kiss to my temple and murmuring, “See you back there.” Then he followed in the direction Brantley had gone, leaving me and Stone alone.