Page 19 of Unbroken

Piper fit in with the group perfectly—she’d had nothing to be nervous about. I told her as much, and she rolled her eyes.

We all fell into easy conversation while I helped Amanda finish cooking. We talked about the gym Reed owned and Murphy’s Law, our college hangout that we never really stopped going to. And now the bar Reed, Josh, and Amanda owned.

Hazel talked about her upcoming book release, and Luke hadplanned to open his own veterinary practice, likely toward the end of the year when things weren’t as crazy.

Only an hour late, James and Ivy finally arrived. Amanda won a hundred bucks from Reed and Luke, and most of them were wrong: they had not gotten engaged.

I took a sip of my second beer and glanced around at my friends. Surrounded by my favorite people, there wasn’t another place I’d rather be. But there were still moments when I could feel something missing. I realized, like a fucking punch to the gut, thatsomeonewas missing.

Looking around the room at the joy and happiness filling the space was one of those times.

James came to stand beside me and plucked a chip from the bowl. More than any of my other friends, James knew me the best. He had this uncanny ability to read through my lack of expression and understand my few words.

“Things are going well?” I asked, nudging James’s shoulder and trying like hell to cover up the uncomfortable weight in my chest.

His smile was large and fucking goofy.

“I’m so fucking in love it hurts sometimes,” he said quickly, and I shook my head because I knew he was being completely honest. I was extremely happy for my best friend, that he and Ivy had finally figured it all out.

“How are things with Piper?” James asked, and for some reason, the question made me stiffen.

“Good,” was all I could seem to respond, eyeing the stairs where Piper had disappeared to call her mom. I took a long pull of my beer and tried to ignore the way James watched me with narrowed eyes.

“She seems nice,” he continued.

“She is,” I said too quickly. His assessing gaze was still pinned on me, but thankfully, he didn’t question it further.

I wasn’t sure why questions about the woman I was dating made me uncomfortable, maybe because I wasn’t used to havingsomeone for people to ask about, or because I hated being the center of attention that much.

I considered saying something else—something that required more than a few syllables—when the doorbell rang. All of us in the kitchen stopped and looked at one another.

Based on everyone’s facial expressions, we weren’t expecting anyone else.

“I’ll get it!” Ivy hollered from the entryway only a second before we heard the door open.

Muted voices carried through the house, and James was gone in the next second, setting down his beer and beelining for the front of the house.

I wasn’t going to follow, but something in my gut told me I should. Rather than ignore the feeling, I slowly set my own drink down and walked into the entryway. I stepped just behind James, who had a protective arm around Ivy.

His posture put me on high alert.

Peering around James, I could finally see who had stepped inside.

And everything stopped.

There was onlyher.

TEN

Blakely

Staringup at the large house, I checked the house number for the…eighth time? I lost count which was a good sign that I didn’t need to check again. I slid my phone into my pocket and tightened my coat around myself, trying to suppress the shivering. But it wasn’t the cold that was making me shake.

I was so fucking nervous. Terrified, actually.

After being gone for two years, I guess I had a right to be nervous. Especially when I didn’t know what kind of reception waited for me behind that door. I knew for certain my homecoming wouldn’t be a celebration. There wouldn’t be an ornately frosted cake that said, “We missed you!” or a joyful recollection of all the moments I’d missed while I was gone.

There wouldn’t be balloons or streamers or likely happiness of any kind.

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