Page 97 of Reckless Hearts

Up until she moved in with us, she bounced around from foster home to foster home just like Nate. I couldn’t let her struggle after aging out of the system, and knowing what a good kid she was from the surf school, I let her move in with Daisy and me.

She fit right in, like she’d lived with us all along, but she relied on me for a lot of things that were missing in her life. If anything, for a while, I was more like a mother to her than a friend. It’s changed over the last few months, and I’ve watched her grow into someone I always knew she could be.

But my heart aches at the idea of leaving her. Everyone leaves her, just like how Nate felt, and I don’t ever want her to think that.

“Go on. I’ll hang out with the guys,” Flynn says, walking over to the cooler to grab a beer as I head over to where Daisy and Sloane are.

“Oh my fucking god,” Daisy spits out when I stop in front of them. “I know I’ve already said it a million times, but that was fucking epic.”

“It really was. It couldn’t have ended better. Like a damn movie,” Sloane adds. “And Flynn, things worked out just like I figured they would.”

“You did call it that night we had the sleepover,” I tell her, my heart beating a little too fast, worried about what I need to say.

I have no reservations about moving in with Flynn. I love him, and our life is only going to get better with each passing day. Surfing together and being able to possibly tour together. It’s like a dream.

But it’s real.

It’s fucking real.

“I want to tell you both something,” I say, hesitation catching in my words, and Daisy shakes her head, a knowing smile on her face.

“You’re moving in with Flynn, aren’t you?” she says, and before I respond, I see Sloane’s smile drop.

“Are you?” Sloane asks, the sound of the choked-back tears slipping through.

“I am.”

“It’s okay,” she quickly says now, swiping at her eyes. “I’ll be fine. You aren’t moving away or anything, right?” The words come out quickly, fear-laced and panicked.

“No. Never. Maui is my home, and it’s where all of you are. You’re always going to be my family,” I say, reaching for Sloane and pulling her into my arms. “You’ve got this, and you know I’m here for you no matter what.”

“I know,” she says, sniffing back the tears. “It’s just…”

“It’s just what?”

“It’s just that…I don’t even know,” she mutters, and this is when the tears begin to spill over.

“You’re scared to do it on your own?” I ask her, and Daisy scoffs, folding her arms over her chest. She pushes her bare foot into the back of Sloane’s leg, laughing.

“And what about me? I’m just nothing?” Daisy teases. “But I get it, I’m not all motherly like Alana.” She rolls her eyes and bats her lashes, making Sloane and me laugh.

“Alana was the first person I ever had that helped me, that didn’t think I was a burden. It’s hard.” Sloane’s words are still tough to hear. She was forgotten, and that still hurts.

“We’re gonna do this together,” Daisy tells Sloane, slinging an arm around her shoulders. “You and me, kicking ass, and maybe we can even find a new roommate to take Alana’s place.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Sloane responds, sniffing again. She wipes at her eyes, letting out a hard sigh. “I’m just being dramatic. You’re not leaving, so I’ll be showing up on your doorstep anytime I need advice.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Daisy, Sloane and I move into a ridiculous group hug, which only prompts Kai to stroll up and make some stupid ass comment.

“Threesome!” he calls out, and Miles runs over and punches him hard in the shoulder. “Dude, what the fuck?”

“No, dude, what the fuck, right back to you. Fucking threesome, you asshole,” Miles barks, but his gaze instantly falls to Daisy, waiting for her to notice him. These two. They’re too damn much for this group with all their longing and desperate gazes.

And that’s when Owen walks over. In his hand he has a stack of napkins, and he hands them to Sloane. A sweet smile on his face when she thanks him, blotting at her eyes.

“You okay?” he asks her, and she shakes her head, looking away from Owen as he waits for her to answer.

---