Sandy’s eyes are wet with tears, and one spills over, tricking down her pretty cheek. Her eyes are wide and sad, and I bring my hand to her cheek, tracing her beautiful face the way I just did with our daughter’s. “Thank you,” I say softly. “For being so strong when I was weak. For giving our daughter the best start in life that you could.”
A sob leaves Sandy’s lips, and I quickly bring her into my arms, holding her trembling body against mine. I kiss the side of her head and breathe in the sweet scent of her hair, and it feels like coming home. “Don’t cry, baby,” I say. “We’re here. We made it through everything, and we’re here, together. And whatever comes our way, we’ll make it through that too. But this time, we’ll be together.”
Sandy’s arms come around me, and her face tips up to mine, and I kiss her sweet lips so tenderly, it’s like the brush of a feather.
And I know that this is it. Sandy’s come back to me. She’s come back to us.
I have a daughter and the most perfect woman and the best friends a man could ever hope for, and we can be one big happy family in whatever form that takes.
I might never fully forgive myself for Jake’s death. If I didn’t buy the bike and I didn’t leave the keys somewhere he could find them, he never would have died. But I also know for sure that he wouldn’t want me to dwell on his death for the rest of my life. Jake was everything that was good and brave and fun about life. And maybe a part of him lives on in my daughter.
One day at a time.
One step in front of the other, and we’ll get there.
I hope, from the bottom of my heart, that we’ll find a way.
38
ANDREW
Damien couldn’t rest, so he’s standing in the doorway with his ear craned to where Tyler and Sandy are talking. My eyes are watching him for any kind of response. Greg filled us in on what he and Able found out, and it’s big. Tyler and Sandy have a daughter together.
It changes so much and, at the same time, nothing at all.
We still want her in our lives. We want to make her the center of our world if she has a kid, all the better because we all want kids if Sandy is up for making some more.
When Damien turns and puts his thumb up, I breathe a huge sigh of relief. Tyler’s okay, and Sandy’s okay. She’s told him everything, and there hasn’t been an implosion or explosion: no breakdown or shouting, just calm discussion, and affection. The affection is making Damien smile, and I’m certain because it doesn’t just mean Tyler is cool with the news. It means that Sandy is back for good.
Damien suddenly darts back into the den as quickly as his lumbering form can move, and then Tyler appears in the kitchen doorway, holding Sandy like he’s a groom carrying his bride over the threshold. He walks slowly down the hallway toward the stairs with Sandy’s face buried into his chest and her hand on his neck. He jerks his head to indicate that we should follow, and my heart and cock kick at the same time.
This is what I’ve been waiting for.
This is the moment we’re going to seal our relationship.
It’s the moment that everything will fall into place.
Sandy will become our lover, and not just one-on-one but as the very center of our group.
There’s no scuffle to follow Tyler, just an orderly procession of men who know something big is about to happen. There’s anticipation in the air and something that feels strangely ceremonial and sacred.
At the top of the stairs, Tyler takes Sandy to Greg’s room. It’s the biggest and definitely the tidiest. He kisses Sandy’s forehead and lowers her gently onto the crisp white sheets.
There is something so vulnerable about her, like all her emotions have been laid bare, but when her eyes meet mine across the room, there’s a fire burning in them too.
Sandy wants this as much as we do. She’s put aside what took her away from us and now we’re all free to be what we want.
Tyler kneels on the floor in front of her, gently slipping her shoes from her feet. Her toenails are painted hot pink, and he runs his thumb over her foot, discovering her all over again. The blue shirt dress she’s wearing has buttons down the front, and he unfastens it from the bottom. It’s a slow process, and each second that ticks past just increases the static in the room. It’s as though he’s unwrapping a precious parcel, and he wants to savor the surprise that is beneath.
I want to savor this moment too. It’ll be etched into my memory for life.