AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“There’s more,” Dani says. “Because Honey hasn’t gotten what she wanted out of us living here together.”
“What do you want?” Goldy leans forward, elbows on her knees.
“It’s dumb.” I wish I had an invisibility spell or could freeze time. “It’s enough for me that you understand why I did what I did and you aren’t angry.”
Goldy shifts in her seat, pinning her gaze on Dani. “What does Honey want?”
“She told you.” Dani shrugs, palms up. “She wants us all together. She wants us to bond and hang out. She wants to re-live our teenage years, but this time with her in the middle of it all.”
“That’s not—” I start.
“We’re all here now.” Clover’s eyes pop open like her nap’s over and she’s fully awake. “What do you want to do, Honey? I can do your make-up if you come over here.”
“I can make popcorn and we can stay up all night talking,” Goldy says.
“I’ll grab our instruments and we can practice for that gig you mentioned,” Daisy says.
I sniffle. “That all sounds amazing, but you don’t have to do this for me.”
“I want to.” Goldy smiles like she means it. “I’ve been so caught up in my own life, I don’t think I know you at all. I want to change that.”
“So do I,” Clover says.
“But you have to be honest with us,” Dani says. “You could have avoided all of this if you’d just told us from the start how much it means to you for us all to spend time together.”
“But then you would have done it out of obligation.” I hate how pathetic I sound. “I want you to hang out with me because you want to, not because you feel bad for me.”
“Dani and Clover might do that sort of thing,” Daisy says. “But I don’t spend time with anyone unless I want to.”
“You’re our baby sister,” Goldy says. “Of course we want to hang out with you. Now, pick what you want to do this afternoon.”
“I love all your ideas.” I stifle a yawn. “But maybe we could just pop some popcorn and watch a movie together?”
My sisters agree easily, then they argue over which movie to watch and what seasoning should go on the popcorn. I lean back in my seat and breathe it all in.
It’s everything I thought it would be and so very wonderful.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Jaxon
She walks across the green grass, her feet bare, her hair loose, and something lightens in my chest. She’s okay.
I mean, Asher said she was okay, but there’s nothing like seeing it for myself.
She pauses and turns, as though she can sense me here.
Her smile, easy and warm, draws me to her, centers my attention like she’s the only person in the world.
We move together, crossing the space between us, and I take her hands in mine, needing to touch her. “Hi,” I say.
“You’re back?” The question hangs between us for a long moment. Too long. She pulls her hands from mine. “Jaxon, I—”
“You only sent me away to protect me from Dell’s threats.”
She nods. “You don’t have to worry about him. He’s not going to hurt anyone anymore.”
She’s so certain, but I don’t believe people can change. I doubt I’ll ever stop looking for Dell to show up again, causing trouble. “I didn’t leave because of what you said or because of his threats. I left because I couldn’t see a way forward for us.”
