Page 84 of Powerless
She reaches for me at the same time I reach for her. All the tension between us washed away by how desperately we need each other. One of her hands grips my shirt while her right one slides inside my jacket and flattens over the tattoo. I squeeze her tight, and when her forehead presses to my chest, I drop my lips to the crown of her hair.
Like always.
“We’re all okay,” I reply roughly against her hair.
Pure relief courses through my veins.
She nuzzles against me, and I nuzzle against her. We latch onto each other like we have for the better part of our lives.
Because no matter what else is going on in the world, everything is better with her in my arms.
24
Sloane
Sloane:Give your boys hugs from me. And yourselves. I can’t believe it.
Summer:I can’t stop crying. I’m so relieved. We’re sending hugs back to you.
Willa:I’ll hug Cade for you if you bang Jasper for me.
Sloane:When I bang Jasper, I’m banging him for myself.
Summer:Ooooooo!
Willa:Possessive. I like it.
Willa:Wait. Did you say WHEN?!
I’m happy and rung out all at once. I’m back in a huge truck, but this time, Violet is behind the wheel. I’m sitting in the front passenger seat, and all three of her closest friends are in the back.
Billie, who has a knack for making us all laugh, proclaimed that unloading hay is a “boy” job and we should all go get wine to drink straight from the bottle. She’s a bit scary if I’m being honest.
She’s like Willa.
On crack.
Then there’s Mira with her black hair, keen eyes, and a knowing smirk. I feel like she knows all my deepest, darkest secrets just by glancing at me.
And Nadia, who’s a little younger, is so beautiful I can’t stop staring at her. It’s like she strutted right off a Victoria’s Secret runway and onto the farm.
They chatter happily in the back while Violet and I sit in a companionable but stunned silence up front. It’s like I didn’t realize how much tension I was carrying over Beau until the weight lifted.
Now I’m hit with a full-body exhaustion that stretches from the tips of my fingers to the ends of my toes. I could sleep for a week.
“You okay?” Violet glances at me, high ponytail flipping over her shoulder as she does.
“Yeah.” I sigh. “Just so, so tired.”
“You guys had a long journey.”
“That we did.”
Long doesn’t even begin to cover it.
A smile tugs at the corner of her lips. “I always wondered when you two would notice the other.”
My head flips to her. “Pardon?”
