Page 130 of The Lair

“Sandra!” Jude bellows before he takes a step forward, then another, and another—that’s when I notice his glassy eyes. “Come here, girl.”

It’s not a request he needs to repeat.

Jude hugs me tightly, as if attempting to glue all my broken pieces back together. “We’re so proud of you,” he mutters into my hair. “So, so proud. We had no idea what you’d gone through. God…”

A gasp makes me lift my head from the comfort of Jude’s shoulder. I barely have time to react before Sandra is hugging me too.

“Oh, sweetie,” she says. “You should’ve told us. We would’ve never blamed you for it.Never, Allie. You’re a survivor.”

“I’m sorry.” I choke up, their collective hug finally managing to break me. “I’m so sorry I lied to you. You didn’t deserve it.”

“Shush,” Sandra says. “None of that. We aren’t mad at you. We all wanted you to come back.”

“Especially that big guy over there,” Jude whispers playfully in my ear as they both let me go.

My eyes land on Travis then, as tall and imposing as I remember.

During those five weeks I remained in Los Angeles, we spoke on the phone some nights, texted a little bit throughout the day too… and learned that neither of us are big on calls or texts. We didn’t force ourselves to contact each other daily, and it was fine. Because I knew he’d be waiting for me when I was ready. I knew he’d keep his promise to me, just like I’d kept mine to the sky.

“Hi,” I say shyly.

His smirk kills me. “Hey, sweetheart.”

“I think this is our cue, people,” Charlie chimes in, throwing me a wink. “Allie, please tell us everything later, okay? You two, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

I roll my eyes at him at the same time as Sandra grabs my arm and asks me in that motherly voice I’ve missed so much, “You’re staying for good, aren’t you?”

There are no doubts in my mind when I say, “Yes. For good.”

For good. Nothing has never sounded more right.

“Then that’s worth a welcome back party,” Jude suggests.

Charlie gasps dramatically. “Jude? Suggesting we throw a party? Quick, someone check if pigs are flying outside.”

“Respect your elders, boy,” Jude chastises him, but he’s smiling.

“Yes, sir. Wouldn’t dream of ever offending you, sir.”

Sandra chuckles. “Let’s get out of Travis’s and Allie’s hair, yeah? See you lovebirds tomorrow.”

A blush creeps up my cheeks at her words, but weirdly enough, I don’t feel self-conscious. Travis and I… make sense. Despite our age difference and our opposing personalities, he complements me in every way. I’d like to think I complement him too.

Being with him is easy, familiar, andright. And so, when the door closes behind our co-workers and friends, I don’t waste another second.

He catches me with ease as I throw myself into his arms, breathing him in. Standing on my tiptoes with my arms around his neck, I pull him closer until there’s no space between us.

The way I want him, the way I need him, is beyond anything else I’ve ever experienced before. And it’s time I let him know.

I’ve already wasted too much time hiding who I really am and what I truly want. I refuse to waste any more.

“I love you,” I breathe out. “I love you so much, Travis. I’m ready for this. Forus. I’ll have bad days, and I can’t promise I’ll be happy and cheery all the time, but I’m done waiting. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and only you.”

He wipes away a tear I hadn’t noticed. The love shining in his eyes fills my heart, my soul, every fiber of my being.

“I love you too, sweetheart. More than I’ve ever loved anyone else. I’ll always be here for you, Allie. On your good and bad days. You’re it for me. Until the day I take my last goddamn breath.”

I let out a throaty chuckle, smiling through the tears that have started to fall. “Oh, no way. You’re stuck with me forever. That includes the afterlife.”

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