Page 101 of Call It Home

I snapped my fingers. “Crap. I forgot to pick up some flowers.”

He snickered and shook his head. “Cam, he’s a guy. He doesn’t care about flowers.”

“But it sends a message. I want him to be happy and comfortable here.”

He wrapped his hands around my waist. “Trust me. As much as he can be, he will be.”

“I’m just trying, you know? He deserves happiness. You both do.”

“I have all I need for that right here in my arms.” I sank into his kiss and enjoyed the moment before I scolded Mac for distracting me. I still wanted to sweep the front steps from the fall leaves that were coating the ground now.

It had been close to a year since Trey had been released. I didn’t go with Mac when he went to the prison to pick him up two days after his parole hearing, but I was at the apartment, waiting. I wasn’t even going to do that at first, thinking the brothers needed some time to reunite, but Mac didn’t want me to return to Sterling Mill right away, and I wasn’t in a hurry to leave him. And I really wanted to meet Trey. I wanted to make a good impression on him. I knew he knew about me. Mac had been completely upfront about our relationship until he learned about the parole hearing. The truth had come out when Mac couldn’t bring himself to sign the papers to buy the farm Trey had told him about.

I was worried Trey would resent me, but that concern had all been put aside when he walked into the apartment. He’d seen me hovering in the corner of the room and walked over to me and picked me up in a big bear hug.“I always wanted a little sister,”he’d said.“Thank you for everything you’ve done, but especially for seeing the good in my brother and loving him.”

I might have cried a little at that.

There had been several weeks of adjustment after that. The guys stayed in Virginia for a couple of months, allowing Trey to have some time to readjust to life outside of prison. Mac found a local guy who did some carpentry and was willing to rent out his space in the evenings. Mac and Trey worked on some pieces for me for a house that my crew was building. From what Mac told me, Trey worked quietly, his skills easily coming back to him.

Only Dustin had walked away after Will left Sterling Construction. I didn’t miss Dustin, but I still hated to lose Will, who’d been a valued employee of the company for so many years. But I needed people loyal to me, not to the past. I knew my grandfather would get it. After all, I was only pursuing the plan we’d hatched while I was still in school.

After a couple of months of being away, Mac came home to visit. He was worried about Trey, saying he was a little restless, but we knew that was to be expected. It would take time. A month later, Trey was given permission to spend a week in Sterling Mill. As much as Mac wanted his brother to make the move permanent, he knew not to rush him.

“He’s going to love it,” I said, feeling pleased with the results.

Mac frowned. “I hope he doesn’t get too lonely out here by himself.”

I laughed. “You see the irony in that statement, right?”

He chuckled along with me. “I didn’t know what I was missing.”

“Don’t worry. You know how much my family loves your brother.”

I think my family overwhelmed him a little. They had so much love to give, but like Mac had been, Trey was slow to accept it. But my family also had a way of enveloping someone they cared about and making sure they knew they were never on their own.

Trey was usually reserved around us still, but we’d found he had a quiet sense of humor, which we discovered because of Iain, who never once shied away from the big stranger who now took part in several of our family gatherings. Trey always came prepared with a new joke to share with him.

And Mama Rae quickly brought both him and Mac under her wing and fussed over them, making sure to prepare multiple dishes until she discovered what they liked best, then she always sent them back to Virginia with a bunch of leftovers and treats. I think, at first, neither of them, especially Trey, knew what to do with such a maternal figure, but when they saw that was how she was with all of us, they warmed up quickly.

Slowly, Trey was coming out of his shell around us.

Mac was working on convincing the owners who rented their cabin to him to sell it. In the meantime, he’d continued to rent it to have a place to work when he was in Sterling Mill. He’d taken the money from selling his design and bought some new tools. When they came to Sterling Mill on visits, he and Trey spent hours out there, making the barn more of a workshop, putting in better lighting and heating. Their bond was as tight as ever, and now they were looking to expand the space.

So, it was to everyone’s delight when, with one more year left of parole, Trey asked if he could move to Sterling Mill. Reid immediately went into action to make the process happen. Since Mac had moved in with me, we were now here making the cabin more to Trey’s taste. It was to be a surprise for him.

The rest of my family arrived. Em carried in two full bags of food, mostly homemade frozen dinners. Bristol and Reid set out a little tray with several gift cards for various shops around town. And Zach brought in a little cloth carrier but wouldn’t open it. “Not yet,” he said.

It was only minutes later that the gravel crunched again, and the truck Bristol had helped Trey pick out drove up. Trey climbed out, looking surprised but happy to see us. “What’s this?”

“Surprise!” we all cried.

His eyes lit up as he took in the changes to the cabin and all of the gifts of food. Zach finally pulled out the carrier he had.

“Here. I know we can all be a little bit much, but we want you to know we’re here for you for anything you need.” He reached inside the carrier and pulled out a kitten. “But it can get a little quiet out here, so I thought maybe you could use a little company. This little guy has had a tough start, too. He was rescued from a place down the mountain. I know I’m going to hear about it from my wife for springing him on you, but he could use a new start, too. I swear, he’s really sweet, mostly just curious. I’ve got a bunch of supplies in our car for you, too. Plus, I promise I’ll provide you with free care. But if it’s too much, it’s—”

“Let me see him.” Trey held out his hand, and the kitten immediately started purring as soon as Trey held him close to his chest. He snuggled his new pet, then looked around at all of us.

“You guys, after all you’ve already done, this is too much.”

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