Page 18 of Finally Home
He beams at me and reaches out to hold my hand. Out of the corner of my eye I see Dominic shoot him an unreadable look, but when I turn back to the island, he’s all smiles.
“Good!” Kaci says cheerily. “I think it will be just great for you to spend some time together. Has she met any of the guys yet?” She directs the question to Rhodes.
He nods. “Wren actually already knew Aidan in a roundabout sort of way. One of the friends she mentioned is his younger brother, Wesley.”
Rhodes takes the seat next to me as Kaci titters on excitedly about our friends, simultaneously setting plates of food down in front of us. I nearly moan at the smell as Rho tells them about our day with Aidan, Copeland, and Crew. I don’t think I’ll ever stop marveling that Kaci has a successful career as a lawyer and somehow still managed to raise an incredible man and run their house. And damn if the woman can’t cook a mean pot-pie, too.
As I eat my favorite meal surrounded by the people I love, I realize I wasted so much time on Derrick and his needs when I could have been doing this every week–smiling, laughing, and feeling more myself than I have in a long, long time.
It’s good to be home.
CHAPTER 9
RHODES
I’ve had a goofy smile on my face all day. After dinner last night, Wren packed up her stuff and came home with me, where she immediately made herself comfortable in my guest room. Waking up to my girl making coffee in my kitchen felt like a dream.
And if it was, I never want to wake up.
We’re in my SUV on our way to pick up the guys from the airport, and I can’t lie, I’m really fucking edgy. These guys are so important to Wren, and I need them in my corner if I ever have any hope of escaping the friend zone.
I chuckle as she fiddles with the radio for the millionth time and reach over to wrap my hand around her smaller one.
“You nervous, Starling? I thought these guys were your best friends…after me, of course?” I smirk at her.
She huffs a laugh. “I’m excited! And I know they’re gonna love you…” Her voice softens. “I just really want them to like it here…to like you. My worlds are colliding, and I guess I might be a little bit anxious because of it.”
Wren is so goddamn sweet. She’s still always worrying about other people’s feelings before her own. Grabbing her soft hand in mine, I thread our fingers together and rest them in her lap.
“Wren, listen to me. These are guys you consider family, and I fully trust your judgment,” I wink at her, and a little thrill goes through me when I see her blush and glance away. “We’ll get along great, and I know they’re going to love it here because you love it here. This place made you the girl we all know and adore, and I’d bet my favorite glove they’re out-of-their-minds excited to finally see it.”
A loud sigh gusts out of her mouth, ending in a small groan. “You’re right. It’s not like I haven’t spent every day of the last three years with them. I don’t know why I’m so nervous. It’s gonna be great.”
But I struggle to keep my own nerves from showing as we pull up to the airport.
Wren throws me a sidelong glance with her delicate hand on the door handle. “Seems like I’m not the only one feeling things.”
I smirk at her cockily. “Who, me? Nah baby, I’m right as rain.”
She looks like she’s getting ready to argue with me when three boisterous voices fill the air. Wren practically dives out of the SUV, squealing as she runs to hug the guys I really hope only have brotherly feelings like she claims.
I exit the SUV and walk straight up to the tallest one—Jamie, I think. He surprises the hell out of me when he pulls me into a hard hug.
“Hey, man! It’s so nice to finally meet the infamous Rhodes. I’m Jamie Reed, this is Asher Linwood, and obviously you know Wes.” He lets go and points behind me when another hand claps down on my shoulder, and I turn to see a familiar smiling face.
“God, you really do look just like Aidan,” I laugh, shaking Wesley’s hand.
He laughs, too, and tosses his arm around the third guy, who’s just released Wren from a lingering hug. I raise my eyebrows at the contact and look between him and Wren suspiciously. It’s obvious he notices because he rolls his eyes and clasps my hand in his and pulls me in for a quick ‘bro hug.’
“Don’t worry, Wren is family, nothing more. We love her, but none of us will ever be in love with her,” he says low in my ear.
I grin at him in relief and clap my hands together. “Alright, well, first things first we have lunch with the parents?—”
“SHOTGUN!” Wesley shouts, cackling like a little kid as he sprints to the front seat of my SUV.
Wren shoots me an elated grin and scoots to the middle of the backseat. Jamie and Asher climb in behind her as I hop in and buckle up. With a quick check around me to make sure everybody has their seatbelts on, I give the guys a knowing grin.
“Ready to meet the parents?”