Page 109 of Delicate Escape

Then I was being engulfed in a massive hug. The sweet pea scenthad me recognizing Rhodes, but I couldn’t see her with how tightly she held me.

“I’m so sorry for what you’ve been through. Know that I’m always here for you. Whatever you need. You are the most amazingly strong person I know.”

My nose stung. I’d asked Anson to fill Rhodes in on everything, knowing that telling the story for a third time would be too much for me to handle. And now I knew I’d made the right choice. I hugged Rhodes back. “Thank you. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I?—”

“Don’t you dare apologize,” Rhodes snapped, pulling back. “You were keeping yourself safe.”

I sent her a wavering smile. “Thanks for understanding.”

“Of course.” She squeezed my shoulder. “Also, I had a bonfire last night and burned every Brendan Boseman DVD I owned.”

A laugh burst out of me. “I like that mental image.”

Shep just shook his head. “Thea’s DVD obsession makes sense.Youneed to enter the twenty-first century.”

Rhodes rolled her eyes. “When your internet’s out, I’ll be chilling, watchingGuardians of the Galaxy.”

“I tried to tell him that it’s better this way. He won’t listen,” I said as I followed Rhodes into the house.

Shep’s hand pressed into my lower back, assuring me he was right there with me.

“Shep is tech-obsessed. It’s an addiction, honestly,” Rhodes said.

I looked up at him. “How have you survived living at my house this long?”

He grinned down at me. “I’ve been busy doing other things.”

“Gross!” Rhodes whined. “I do not need to know about what you two have been up to. TMI.”

My cheeks flushed, but I couldn’t help giggling.Giggling?Who was I?

Voices swirled up ahead, making my stomach flip, but the second we stepped into the open-concept living/kitchen/dining space, a tiny creature flew at me. She was a whirling dervish with gleamingdark hair, and as she skidded to a stop in front of me, I took in the deep green eyes that were just like Trace’s.

“You’re Thea. You’re my Uncle Shep’s new girlfriend. And Dad says you work at the bakery. Can you get me a cupcake from there? Dad only lets me get them for special occasions. But I want them aaaaall the time. The unicorn ones are my favorite. I?—”

Trace picked up his daughter, tickling her side. “Keely, I think you’re gonna talk Thea’s ears off if you’re not careful.”

“Nuh-uh. Your ears don’t fall off. Do they?”

I couldn’t help but smile at the little girl’s worry. “It’s nice to meet you, Keely. The unicorn cupcakes are my favorite, too. And if you come visit me at work, I bet I can sneak you one.”

Keely’s whole face brightened. “You are AWESOME!”

Trace chuckled. “Well, you’ve got a forever fan in this one now.”

“I’m not above a little bribery,” I admitted sheepishly.

“I’m very bribable,” Keely said solemnly. Then she looked between Shep and me. “Supergran says you and Uncle Shep are knocking boots. Is that a new game? Maybe I can learn it?—”

“Lolli!” At least half the people in the massive space shouted her nickname, heads snapping in her direction.

The woman looked up from her cocktail, completely unfazed. “Did I lie?”

“Jesus,” Trace muttered. “My kid is going to get expelled from the first grade.”

“It’s summer, Daddy. I can’t get expelled.”

“It’d be a preemptive expulsion,” he said with a sigh.

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