Page 55 of What's Left of Us

Vinny peers at me over the top of Jo’s head, and I can’t quite tell what he’s thinking. “Christmas is a busy time at the club. One of our friends started making a whole holiday party last year. December is wild.”

“Oh, you’ll like Callie,” Jo goes on, messing with the collar of my shirt. “Nate calms her down a little, but she’s definitely going to rip into you if you turn out to be a jackass.”

I find myself smiling again. Here, Jo and Vinny are mostly isolated from the community. They didn’t embrace the town with open arms upon their return, and I never noticed anyone looking particularly excited that they were back. The same could be said about me, but I had my team with me for most of this experience. They had each other, and occasionally Vinny’s family when they weren’t being jerks, but no one else.

In Denver they have a whole network of friends who became family, and I feel guilty for keeping them from that for this long. There are very few good memories to take home with them after this hellish six months.

Jo presses up onto her toes, and I lean down to kiss her. Vinny moves, his steps soft on the tile, and then his arm wraps around me. Our kiss is brief, and when our lips part Vinny’s head falls against mine.

So does Jo’s, until we’re all three resting our heads together, holding each other. In the morning the plan is to drive them to the airport, and I don’t know when I’ll see them again. December sounds nice, but who knows what’ll happen between now and then.

This might be the last night we have peace together. After this, I’m not sure what more we can be.

I take them to the airport a few hours before their flight. I’m supposed to be working, but Gabe sends me a text letting me know to take care of what I need to and to let them handle packing things up this afternoon.

I don’t get to ask him about it until I’m leaving the airport, heading back to my car. I didn’t need to take them to the gates, and heading out to Tallahassee to drop them off ate into agood chunk of my day. The drive back is quiet, almost sad, and I keep replaying the last six months in my head, the moments with Jo and Vinny sticking out more than anything else.

That’s not true. My visits with Alastair are comparable, and now that he’s gone, unforgettable. The cabin keeps flickering through my head, making my heart ache wondering what could have been.

If Alastair was alive, would it change my decision to go back to Quantico instead of following Jo and Vinny to Denver?

No… it wouldn’t. They have their own lives, and I have mine. Part of what I love about the two of them is that they don’t expect me to change just because we’ve grown close. They have their lives to put back together in Colorado, and I’ve got not only the CGS case but anything else that’s stacked up in Quantico to go back and work through.

It’ll keep me busy, but for how long?

I pull over at a gas station between the halfway point between Citrus Grove and Tallahassee. I’ll be making the same drive soon enough so we can head back to Virginia, but that doesn’t bother me. Getting to see my two lovebirds off was worth it.

Lovebirds.That’s one thing Alastair got right; those two are meant to be together. We might have added to their lives, but Jo and Vinny survive because of each other. And I’m surviving because of them.

I watch the sky for too long, leaning against the SUV. I’m stalling from going back to the house and packing up the rest of the evidence to be shipped. Most of its done; now it’s just my personal things.

Before I get into my SUV again my phone buzzes, and I frown at the unknown number. There’s a photo attachment, and I hesitate before I click on the image and open it up.

Instantly, I straighten. The faces are familiar, even if I don’t know them very well. And their smiles are infectious as I study what I’m seeing.

It’s from Emeric. I’m positive, because of the message. Given what I’m looking at, I’m pretty sure it’s him even before I respond, rereading the text a couple times.

I should be mad he texted me this, but I think it’ll work out.

If you wait until December to get here asshole, you’re wasting your lovers time.

Chapter 17

“You got a little tan,” Callie says, locking her arm through mine as we walk through the airport. Despite buying things in Florida the last six months, we shipped most of it back so it’ll arrive at the house in a few days. There’s nothing to claim from baggage, and Vinny has my carry on so I’m just holding my purse.

Callie and Nate offered to pick us up. Usually they are at the club most nights of the week, but they’re more our friends than our employees at this point. I’ve known Nate longer than I have Callie, and they’re both really good people. Good enough to help Emeric and Serenity adjust when we needed interim management and didn’t want to force our friends to take on the role.

I let Callie chatter, her heels clicking on the floor as we walk. It looks like hell wearing those stick-thin heels across an airport, but I’ve rarely ever seen Callie without her stilettos. She easily keeps pace with me, and as we walk she drags a finger down my arm.

“I’ve never seen you without the layers,” she says thoughtfully, and I shoot her a look. Her light eyes study me curiously, lacking judgment. She’s known about the marks for a long time, but she’s never questioned me about them. She knows they’re from my past, and never pushed to know more. “You look good.”

“Thanks,” I tell her, but my heart isn’t in it. There’s no joy in being back. I only went to Florida to save my club from the FBI prying into people’s lives, and I’ve more than accomplished that. But I left behind far more in Florida than I gained.

Vinny and Nate walk a few paces behind us, keeping their voices low. I don’t know what they are talking about, and I haven’t really cared. It’s dark now in Denver, and the lack of sun feels very symbolic to how I’m seeing the future. No Alastair, no Sterling, no feeling of joy in regards to coming home.

I have Vinny, and I always will. But we’ve both left behind so much coming back here.

“Serenity did a good job keeping things in line,” Callie goes on, and I just nod to her. She’s trying to be helpful but I can’t focus. “She’s nitpicky but she kept things on track. Emeric likes working with her.”

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