Page 84 of Unhinged Love

“Yes, I will,” Paul says.

“What?” Mom snaps in horror. Her head swings his way so fast it has to hurt. “You’re not serious!”

“I am,” he says with a sigh. “I’ll help them if this is what they really want.”

I’m not sure if he’s saying it because he truly supports us, or because he feels bad for the way Mom is beating up on us.

“You can’t do that!” she almost screams, shaking.

He doesn’t match her energy. “I can, and I will, because it’s my money to do with as I wish.”

He glances at her, his jaw going tight. “So this is my decision.”

When all she can do is sputter, he waves an arm toward us. “Look at this. My son stood up to me yesterday and admitted what he did, but he also told me about everything he did to try to make it right. And come on!” He barks out a laugh. “I have heard Elliana string more words together right here in this kitchen this morning than I have the entire time she’s lived under this roof. It’s obvious they help each other become better versions of themselves. They shouldn’t be punished for the two of us finding each other and getting married.”

“I cannot believe this,” Mom whispers, folding her arms, crossing her legs, and swinging her foot in angry circles. “I must be dreaming this.”

“You’ll get used to it,” Paul tells her.

I really, really like him. He’s exactly the kind of husband she needs to keep her in line. He’ll give her plenty of freedom, let her take advantage if it makes her happy, but he knows when to rein her in, too.

“Unbelievable.” She throws her arms into the air and jumps up from the table, storming off. Paul wears a regretful little smile, exchanges a quick nod with Carter, then follows her.

“Did that just happen?” I whisper when we’re alone in the room. I’m afraid to move. Afraid to speak too loudly. Afraid I’llwake up from the dream where everything went exactly the way I wanted it to.

“Yeah. It did.” And then his arms are around me, pulling me close, and I have everything I need. My knees are weak with relief, but it’s okay.

I’m not going to fall.

He will always keep me from falling.

EPILOGUE

Carter

“We’re neighbors! Officially!”Wren throws her arms around Elliana the second she’s through the front door of the house we moved into last week. “All we had to do is walk down the street from our house! I’m so happy!”

“I can still barely believe it.” Elliana looks a little dazed, but happy. I know it’s still not easy for her to accept friendship, but she’s getting better at it.

“Come on in. I want to show you what we did so far.” Elliana links arms with her. “We still have to finish getting furniture for some of the rooms, but there’s no big hurry.”

“And we can help you out!” Maya reminds her once we reach the kitchen, where she is pouring drinks from a pitcher. “We’ll go shopping. It’s so much fun. I found so many great pieces in town, even at the thrift shops and estate sales.”

“That does sound like fun.” Elliana glances toward me, and we share a smile. The kind of smile people give each other at parties when they have their own world they live in together.That secret, knowing look nobody else is part of. She’s happy. A little overwhelmed, maybe, but happy.

“I’ve got to be honest.” Preston is sitting on one of the kitchen counters, leaning against the fridge while eyeing my girlfriend. “I wouldn’t recognize you if I saw you by yourself on the street.”

He’s trying to be nice, but she still gets a little freaked when people pay attention to her. Sliding her hands down the front of a light, flower-printed sundress, she murmurs, “Oh. Is that a good thing?”

“Yeah, is that a good thing?” I cross my arms, narrowing my eyes at him.

“I’m just saying.” He never did learn when to let things go instead of digging himself deeper. “You’re not wearing your glasses anymore, and your hair is pulled back when it used to hang in your face.”

“Keep it up,” Briggs mutters, snickering.

“Okay, fine. I’ll stop now.” Preston takes a gulp from his beer bottle while the rest of us laugh.

“Thank you, I guess,” Elliana replies, but she’s grinning. Again, we exchange a look. I am so proud of her every day. She has come so far.

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