Page 36 of Finally Home

“I gotta say, this is all quite overwhelming. What’s your favorite Tom Hanks movie?”

I sit back on the couch and cross my ankle over my knee.

“Hmm, I mean l love a classic Tom like inBig, and his performance inThe Terminalwas stellar. But I think I have to say my number one isThe Burbs.”

Hollie drags her fingers along the spines of the cases until she finds the movie in question.

“Hmm, I’ve never seen that one.” She studies the DVD as she walks over to the couch and hands it to me.

“You’ve never seen it?” I fake shock, yet I’m honestly not surprised. It’s super campy, and even with a pretty epic cast, I think people pass it over.

As I get up to put it in the DVD player, she asks, “What’s it about?”

“Well, Tom Hanks plays Ray Peterson, an overworked guy trying to enjoy his vacation. Carrie Fisher—you know, Princess Leia—plays his wife. And they live in a cul-de-sac in small-town America. He and his crazy neighbors suspect the house next door has some suspicious things going on inside.”

“What kind of suspicious things?”

I shake my head. “Nope, can’t give any spoilers away. But be prepared to laugh your ass off. Oh, and it has Corey Feldman in it.”

“I love him!GooniesandLost Boysare classics,” she says as she pulls her feet underneath her and settles her plate on her lap.

There are moments that Hollie is laughing so hard at the scenes I worry she might choke on her food. But she just looks so free, compared to the version of her last night during the party orthe night before at dinner. How can I make this the one andonlyversion of Holland Armstrong?

Once we’re both done eating, I grab our plates and take them to the kitchen, putting them in the sink. The leftovers get put away quicker than ever before so I can join her back on the couch.

Seeing that Hollie paused the movie makes me smile. “I didn’t want you to miss anything.”

“Thanks.” I smile. I don’t tell her, though, that I’ve seen this movie so many times that I could quote the entire thing. I’m pretty sure my mom regrets showing this one to Archer and me. We spent weeks quoting it, acting out scenes, and we drove her bonkers. My dad would only encourage us more.

When I sit back on the couch, I lay my arm along the back cushion. With no encouragement, Hollie fully snuggles into my side.

“Is this okay?” she asks as she presses Play.

“Mm hmm.” I press a kiss to the top of her head.Yeah, I could definitely get used to this.During the movie, we both stretch out along the length of the couch, Hollie partially on top of me, our legs intertwined.

When the credits fill the screen, I look down and see Hollie sound asleep on my chest. Her lips are parted slightly. I carefully reach for the blanket that’s folded on the back of the couch and drape it over us.

It’s a little funny that we argued earlier over either of us sleeping on the couch, but looks like we both are tonight because now that I have her in my arms, I’m sure as shit not moving her. She’s right where she belongs.

Chapter 17

Ollie

“She’s living with you?” Rhyland’s voice rises to an octave I haven’t heard since he went through puberty.

I nod. “Yeah, for the week. She’s going to go to dinner at Mom’s while Payton is here. And then we’ll just figure it out.”

“When you say figure it out, you mean…” He hesitates. “She’ll leave, and you’ll break up?”

I just shrug because, well, I don’t know. I meant exactly what I said, that we would figure it out then.

Rhyland spins and rests his back against the metal counter. “Ollie, I love ya, man, but do you know what you’re doing?”

“Would you believe me if I said yes?”

Rhyland throws back his head in laughter and shakes his head. He slaps his hand on my shoulder as we leave the kitchen and head back toward the bar. “No, not in the slightest.”

He leans on the edge of the bar top while I finish setting up behind the bar.

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