Take Me with You (Take Me #2)(80)

“Fuck, cuz,” Sydney said. “You’re such a badass! But a total f*cking idiot. Don’t try to shoot Ari again. I kind of like her.”

Grant laughed softly. “Don’t worry. I kind of like her, too.”

“So…are you going to talk to him then? Because…I don’t think I’ve ever met my uncle.”

Grant looked uncomfortable and glanced away. “I don’t know.”

“Well, if you decide to do it, I’ll go with you, if you want.” Sydney suddenly got very serious for the first time since I’d met her. “I know how beat up you are about this, but you have people here who love you. I love you. Aribel loves you. Your family and the guys love you. We’ll be here through this…if you let us.”

Grant wrapped his other arm around Sydney’s shoulder and squeezed. “Thanks. I don’t know what the f*ck I’d be doing right now without you two.”

Sydney laughed. “You’d be acting like even more of an idiot—obviously.”

“Obviously,” Grant agreed.

Then, the three of us stood around, staring out at the black ocean set against the night sky and the spattering of stars overhead. There, in that moment, I felt something blooming in Grant, something I was sure he hadn’t felt in a long time. I could feel it wrapping itself around us all, knitting us together.

Hope.

Light filtered in through the blinds, casting a hazy morning glow on the room. I yawned and pulled Ari harder against my chest. My eyes peeled open, and I stared around the room in confusion—pullout couch, scratchy plaid sheets, musty homey office cluttered with paperwork. I’d forgotten that Ari and I had ended up staying at my uncle’s place instead of returning home.

The weight of the day before crashed down on me all over again, and I felt suspended in this f*cking limbo. If I woke up, I’d have to face the fact that my father was out of prison, had received treatment, and was now trying to live a decent life…trying to live a life with me in it. If I went back to sleep, I could forgo having to deal with everything and continue on as before.

Just a few more minutes.

A few more f*cking blissful minutes with my girl, alive and well, tucked in my arms. Nothing needed to change.

“Grant,” Ari whispered softly, turning over to look at me. She placed her hand on my cheek and smiled something special just for me. Her blonde hair fanned out around her face with a halo around her head from the incoming light. She really looked like a princess.

“Yeah, darlin’?”

“I love you.”

My heart constricted. I’d never f*cking loved anyone as I loved Ari. No one had even come close. She was it for me—the be all, end all. And it was terrifying and f*cking wonderful to look into her eyes and see the same thing reflected back at me.

“I love you, too.”

“I wanted to say…I’m glad that you didn’t try to shut me out yesterday,” she whispered. “It used to be that way, you know? So, I’m happy that we were able to be together…that you didn’t have to go through this alone.”

I kissed the tip of her nose and squeezed her against me. “Me, too, Ari. Me, too.”

We stayed like that for a while longer before deciding to get up. “I need to talk to my uncle again.”

I’d been totally f*cked up last night. While I wasn’t feeling much better, some time had passed to cool my temper.

“I can come with you,” she said. She trailed her hands down my palm as I got out of bed.

I kissed the soft skin of her wrist and stared down at her. “I take you with me wherever I go.”

A smile lit up her face, the same smile that lit up my life.

After throwing on the shorts and T-shirt my uncle had let me borrow the night before, I trudged out of the room and into the kitchen. My aunt and uncle sat around the table with the newspaper opened and cups of coffee in front of them. I poured myself a cup, added cream and sugar, and then took the vacant seat between them.

“Good morning,” Randy said.

“Good to have you in the house, honey,” my aunt said.

I leaned over and kissed my aunt on the cheek. “You know, I appreciate what you guys did by taking me in when I was little. I was alone. I didn’t have anywhere to go, and you were there. You raised me.” I stared down at my coffee. “I just wanted to say thanks.”

“You don’t have to thank us,” my aunt said. “We love you, Grant. We were happy to take care of you. You were never a burden.”

I laughed softly. “I doubt that. I was a little shit.”

“You had it tough,” Randy said. “But that didn’t mean we loved you any less. And we want you to know that we’ll respect your decision about your father…no matter what you decide.”

I took a sip of my coffee. After all the shit that had gone down yesterday, knowing people who cared about me were still out there was a good feeling. I didn’t know what the f*ck I was going to do about my dad, but at least people would be there if I needed them.

“I think I need some time to think about all this.”

“That’s understandable,” my uncle said. “It’s a lot to think about. Take as much time as you need. We’ll be here if you need us.”

We finished off our coffees in silence.