Page 177 of Hold Me Until Morning

Kayla laughed. “Very happy.”

But it was the presence coming from behind her that pummeled me, the soft sound that escaped my mother’s lips as she saw us standing there.

She pressed her hand to her mouth like she could cover it, that love that had forever radiated from her pulsing through the space.

Then she rushed forward. “You must be Hailey and Maddie. Welcome to our home.”

But I knew what she really meant.

She was thinking welcome home.

The exact same way as me.

THIRTY-NINE

HAILEY

No matter how hard I tried to keep it contained, the giggle erupted from my throat.

Not a chance of stopping it.

“You did not,” I accused, looking at Cody who was slung back in the chair where we were all gathered around the table that rested on one side of the kitchen. Dakota had just told me about the time he’d put blue dye in her body wash.

“Don’t look at me that way, darlin’. You can be sure she deserved it. Payback, baby.”

He sent an evil gleam that was nothing but a tease at Dakota who sat across from us, snuggled up to Ryder who was chuckling under his breath.

“I absolutely did not,” Dakota defended. “I walked around looking like an Oompa Loompa for a week.”

“Oh, pretty sure you did deserve it,” Ryder rumbled, giving her a little jostle. “You were the one who stole our clothes where we’d left them on the bank of the river. We had to ride our bikes back through town, completely buck.”

“Okay, but why were the two of you skinny dipping together?” I asked through my laughter.

Annoyance took to Dakota’s face. “Because Saley Thompson and Kendra Stevens were there with them.”

“Jealous.” Ryder mussed up her hair.

She sent him a flirty grin. “Of course, I was jealous.”

“So, this was all about Ryder and didn’t have a thing to do with me?” Cody stretched those tattooed arms out in that playful arrogance he loved to wear.

“I thought everything was about you?” Kayla razzed as she took a sip from her coffee.

“Well, most things are about me since I make quite the impression, but in this case, it seems I was unjustly targeted.”

I laughed at the ping-pong match of ribbing that had been played around the table during breakfast, though I nestled deeper into the comfort of the atmosphere.

No hostilities or hate.

No fear or dread.

Just love and support, the way it was supposed to be. The anxiety I’d been feeling all of last night and this morning had nearly evaporated as I’d sank into the mood of this place.

As if Cody felt my thoughts, he slung his arm over the back of my chair and curled a hand around my opposite shoulder to bring me closer. The man slanted me the softest grin.

Another promise that I belonged.

And I felt like it—like I belonged. Like I could slide right into this peace and become a part of it. As if there wasn’t a threat lingering outside these doors.

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