Whispers in the Dark (KGI #4)(22)

“I know the crowd issue and that you don’t like being around so many people since you got home and all—”

“Rusty, I’ll come. I wouldn’t miss it.”

She looked up in surprise. Then a wide smile flashed on her face. “Really? I mean if you don’t want to. Or if it’s too much, I totally understand.”

He smiled. “You only graduate once, kiddo. I’ll suffer through it.”

Her lips turned down and her expression grew worried.

“I was kidding. Of course I’ll be there. The whole Kelly clan will be there. I’m sure Ma wants to frame that diploma. Has she already planned a party that includes the entire county?”

Rusty’s eyes shone with relief. Her smile returned and she jiggled with excitement. Then to Nathan’s surprise, she launched herself at him and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing tight.

“I wanted you there the most.”

The words were muffled by the fact that her face was planted against his chest. He smiled and then hugged her back.

As she pulled away, she glanced back toward the kitchen. “Just don’t tell Marlene I asked. Okay?”

“Lips are sealed.”

As they started toward the living room, Rusty hesitated once more and turned serious blue eyes on him. “I’m so glad you’re home, Nathan. I was—we were all—worried about you.”

He ruffled her hair. “Thanks, kiddo.”

It was nice to have family who worried about him. He was suddenly overcome with near-choking emotion. His eyelids stung and he cursed the onslaught of the aching relief of being home when he thought he’d never return here again.

Rusty slipped her hand into his and tugged him toward the living room. It embarrassed him that she seemed to realize how unstable he’d suddenly become.

Swanny was sitting on the couch next to Joe, who’d slouched, tossed off his shoes and then kicked his feet up on the ottoman. He wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but Nathan knew his leg still bothered him and he wasn’t yet one hundred percent after taking a bullet. Nathan’s own bullet wound had healed much faster. It had been a flesh wound and hadn’t hit bone as Joe’s had. Joe was training hard with a KGI team, but he still hadn’t been cleared for missions. Physically, Nathan was probably more ready for active duty again than Joe was. And yet, Nathan had still not even considered joining his brothers.

Nathan’s dad was in his recliner, remote in hand, and they all looked up when Rusty dragged Nathan into the living room.

“Your brothers are coming over,” Frank said.

Nathan raised his brows. “All of them?”

“Yeah, they aren’t happy you’ve been avoiding them—their words not mine.”

Nathan bit back a curse. He glanced over at Swanny, who was engrossed in the game already and arguing with Joe over batting averages.

“We could sneak out the back,” Rusty muttered.

Nathan chuckled and some of his anxiety lessened. The tension in his chest eased, and suddenly he could breathe again. He did want to see his brothers and his sisters-in-law and his sister-in-law-to-be, Sarah.

Sarah was quieter than even Rachel, and she still seemed ill at ease and overwhelmed by all the family members. It was obvious that Garrett was a total goner over the woman he was marrying. He never strayed far from her side, and now that Nathan was home, they were planning their wedding for later in the summer right before Rusty left for college at the University of Tennessee.

He looked at Rachel far differently now. Before he’d always been gentle with her, considered her fragile, as if she’d break at any moment. The whole family treated her like she was…weak.

Now he realized just what a disservice they did her. He couldn’t even comprehend the strength it took to survive in hell for an entire year. He’d been ready to give up after two months. He’d looked death in the face and accepted without blinking the inevitability of his own.

Rachel awed him and shamed him in equal parts. He had the sudden urge to see her again, even though it had only been a week since the last time he’d seen her. He wanted to hug her. To tell her how damn amazed he was by her. He didn’t think his family told her that often enough. Maybe they’d never told her.

“Take a load off,” Joe said.

Nathan blinked his way out of his thoughts and realized that everyone was staring at him. He wiped his palms down the legs of his jeans and settled onto the couch down from Swanny. Soon the room would be filled with his brothers and their wives. People would be sitting on the floor, spilled over the arms of chairs and the couch. And his mom would beam the entire time.

He glanced questioningly at Swanny, wanting to know if his friend was up for this. They’d spent the last two days alone at Nathan’s building site until Nathan’s mom had had enough and dragged them over for a real dinner, as she’d put it.

Swanny looked content—more content than Nathan—to be surrounded by so many warm people. But then Swanny didn’t have family. He’d had no one to return to when he and Nathan had been rescued. In Swanny’s position, Nathan would have given up hope a lot sooner. Only the drive to see his family again had kept him sane. What had given Swanny such determination?

If he could give Swanny a little peace by sharing his family, then Nathan would gladly do it. His mom would adopt him now anyway whether Swanny liked it or not. Nothing much stopped her when she set her mind to something, and collecting strays was a lifelong habit of hers.