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She smiled. “Mine.”
“Come on. Let’s go inside. I finished your room this morning and set up a spot for you to play in the living room.” He’d finished everything in the house after his call with Dr. Porter and running into town to pick up his new prescription. He was officially moved in and ready for Eliza to stay over as often as possible.
If he could convince Shelby to move in with him, everything would be perfect.
Eliza headed up the porch steps. He rushed to get behind her just in case she stumbled. She made it up and ran into the house just as Shelby walked into the living room.
“The place looks great. I love the huge picture of the forest on the green wall.” Shelby smiled at the room. “And you bought her the same little table and chair I have at my place.”
“I wanted her to see familiar things when she’s here.”
Shelby smiled at that, too. “Her room turned out so cute.”
He’d finished putting the big tree and all the forest animal decals on the walls this morning. When she got older and liked different things, he could peel them off.
“Go ahead and put your stuff away in our room. I’ll unpack these toys and put some in the wood crates Ihave in here and the books and other toys in Eliza’s room.”
Shelby stared at him with a look of concern he didn’t understand. “Um. We don’t have time for all that. I need to tell you something. I should have told you last night, but I didn’t want you to worry and stress over it all day, waiting for it to happen.”
He set the box on the floor by the door and took a step closer to her, not liking one bit the way she spoke too quickly and explained nothing. “What do you want to tell me?”
She glanced out the still open door at the truck pulling into the driveway. “Drake and Adria are here for a visit.”
He glanced at the truck heading straight for the house, then back at Shelby, who looked concerned.
His hand started to shake. A wash of anxiety and adrenaline consumed him. His palms went sweaty, and his heart raced. “How did you know they were coming?”
“I... um... I called Drake last night before he called you. I’m sorry I went behind your back. I just thought you could use someone to talk to who understands what you’re going through.” She bit her bottom lip. “Are you mad?”
“No. Just... surprised.”
“You looked so lost after dinner. I didn’t know what to do for you, and I know how much you’ve wanted to talk to them about what happened.”
“Did you ask them to come?”
She shook her head. “No. Drake and Adria decided to come see you in person because they thought it would help.”
Chase rubbed his hands down his thighs, then oneacross the back of his neck. “I don’t know what to say to her.” Panic set in. He didn’t know if he could face them. Adria lost her sister. She chose to save his life over trying, despite the terrible odds, to save Juliana’s. He couldn’t imagine how she felt about him being alive while she’d had to bury her twin.
Shelby rushed to him and cupped his face. “It’s going to be okay. They came because they care.”
Chase turned as Drake and Adria walked up the porch steps hand in hand. Adria met his gaze and gave him a soft smile.
All he saw was her twin, Juliana, and his breath caught at the sight of her.
Drake put his hand on Chase’s shoulder. “Breathe, man. It’s okay.”
Choked up, Chase whispered, “Juliana,” like that said everything. But it didn’t.
Somehow, Adria understood, released Drake’s hand, and walked right into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Thank you for trying to save her.”
The softly spoken words hit him like a wrecking ball in the chest. “But I couldn’t save her.” He admitted that around the lump in his throat.
“I couldn’t save her either,” Adria admitted, tears in her voice and wetting his cheek where hers pressed to his. She hugged him tighter.
He finally wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “It shouldn’t have ended that way. You should have given her the naloxone.”
“I’d seen her OD before. I knew this time it was too late. She was already gone. I wanted her back so bad. But I couldn’t bring her back. You were fading fast, and I knew I could save you. I didn’t choose you over her,Chase. The only choice was to save you. And I’m so glad I did, because I couldn’t live with losing you both. We don’t know each other, but I understand what you mean to Drake. In the war, you saved him. He saved you. And you saved me in a way, because now I have Drake, and I’m not alone. I love and need him so much. So you see, I kind of owed you. I still do, because of what you tried to do for Juliana.” She leaned back and held him by the shoulders. “Stop blaming yourself for something you didn’t do. Drake and I got the asshole who dosed you and Juliana. Let this be the end of what happened and the start of us being friends. I could certainly use another one.”
