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The door to the apartment across the hall swung open.
“Aspen!” Evie flew out of her apartment with her blonde hair in a high ponytail. She collapsed her hands in front of her chest with small smile on her lips. “You did amazing.”
“Thanks, Evie.” Aspen allowed her friend to wrap her up in a hug.
Evie had at first been shocked and then disappointed that she hadn’t known about Declan and Aspen’s relationship. Her friend had been at the hospital almost every day after hearing what had happened. It had meant a lot to have Evie at her bedside along with Declan. Between the two of them and Declan’s team mates stopping in to check on her, she’d felt as if she’d gained a new family.
“You guys need anything? I’m sure you must be tired. I can run out and grab us a bite to eat—”
Her bubbly attitude was sending Aspen dizzy. She smiled at her friend and shook her head.
“We’re good, Evie.” Declan raised a hand. He unlocked the apartment door and turned back to them. “We’re just going to take it easy today and probably just order pizza.”
“Okay. But let me know if you change your mind and want something else. I don’t mind running out—”
“We’re good, Evie. You’ve done so much already.” Aspen gripped her friend’s hand. “Believe me, we’ll call if we need something. Right now I just want to take this suit off and get into some relaxing clothes.”
“Gotcha.” Evie nodded before going back to her door.
Aspen waved and walked toward Declan. She turned back and found Evie watching them with a shit-eating grin on her face. Aspen rolled her eyes and stepped into the apartment. She knew that look. Evie had been gloating ever since finding out that her matchmaking attempt had worked.
Declan shut the door, but Aspen barely heard him come up behind her. She stood frozen in place, unable to believe her eyes.
“Mom? Dad?”
Chapter 26
“Did you really think we’d not look for you?” Mason Irwin shook his head and patted her on her knee. Aspen had lost track of time since she’d discovered her parents standing in the middle of the living room.
“What do you mean? I read the stories. I saw the news coverage. They were very convincing that I was dead. Hell, if I didn’t know any better, I would have assumed I was dead, too.” Aspen shook her head.
She was still in shock that her parents were sitting on Declan’s couch with her. Declan had stepped into the back room to give them some privacy and make a few phone calls.
“Your father refused to believe them,” Donna Irwin whispered.
Aspen’s mother’s eyes were as red and puffy as Aspen was sure hers were as well.
“But the funeral. I saw videos of it,” Aspen said. She had watched that video quite a few times and each time she broke down crying seeing the pain her parents had gone through.
“It had been our decision to have it. Our emotions got the best of us. We knew were truly burying Aspen Irwin. We never thought we’d actually see you again. We’d learned the feds had put you in protective custody and we didn’t want to push to see you for fear that Ray would be able to discover you, too.”
“Well, he did,” she replied quietly. It had been all too easy for him to track her down.
“Well, now that’s behind us. We will recover and move on,” her father stated.
He rubbed her knee, and a small smile spread across her lips.
Yes, they all would recover. She knew it must have been hard on her father to discover that not only had his best friend betrayed him but he’d also stolen from him and tried to kill his daughter.
It would take time, but they would all persevere.
“That’s a fine young man you have there,” her mother announced.
Aspen turned to her with wide eyes. “I know. He’s come to mean so much to me,” she admitted.
“I’m just thankful he was able to save my baby.” Mason’s eyes grew serious as he gazed into hers. “He’s a good man, Aspen. From what I’ve read on him, he’s a keeper.”
“Read up on him? Daddy! What did you do?”
