The hospital staffinsisted on keeping Ellis overnight for observation, and then most of the next day was spent going over the results of his final tests—he was surprisingly healthy, considering everything he’d gone through—and then convincing the doctor to finally discharge him.
It was so late when he was finally able to leave the hospital that we probably would have been better off just renting a hotel room for the night and driving back to Emberwood in the morning, but we were too impatient to wait. I hated leaving Magnus alone longer than necessary while there were still people out to get us.
Plus, Ellis was eager to sleep somewhere more comfortable than a hospital bed, and I could attest from personal experience that the beds at Rynkirk’s only hotel weren’t much better.
At least, that was the excuse he gave for why he didn’t want to stay in Rynkirk, but from the way he kept looking back through the rearview mirror as we drove away, I knew there was more to it. This was the city where his brother had died. Somewhere on the outskirts of this town, Aaron Beckham lay in an unmarked grave, completely unknown to the rest of the world. The guilt around his brother’s death must be driving Ellis insane, and I didn’t blame him for wanting to get some distance from it.
I instinctively moved my hand to rest on his knee, and I squeezed in what I hoped was a comforting gesture. “We’ll come back. When this is all over, we’ll give your brother a proper burial. I promise.”
Laughing quietly to himself, Ellis finally looked away from the rearview mirror and turned his gaze forward. “He’d scold me for feeling guilty. Aaron was always a very practical person. Or, at least, he was until the end. If he could see me now, he’d say I’m being stupid. I did what he asked me to do, so there’s no reason to feel guilty about it.”
“Well, if emotions were logical, they wouldn’t be emotions, would they?”
“Yeah, I guess so.” With another sigh, Ellis leaned over and put his head on my shoulder and closed his eyes like it was the most natural thing in the world. “Wake me when we get home.”
He was asleep almost instantly, while I was left reeling.
Home?
He’d said it so causally. I’d barely lived there long enough to call it home, and still often caught myself simply referring to it as “the property.”
Could Ellis have really gotten comfortable there so quickly that he already considered it home as well?
I should have pushed back against this idea. Every logical thought in my head was saying that it was just a response to the trauma that Ellis had faced recently, and he was simply latching onto the first sense of security that he could find.
But just like I’d told Ellis, emotions weren’t logical. So, in spite of all logic, warmth bloomed in my chest as I imagined Ellis making a home in the house I’d built with my own hands.
Driving through the mountains after dark was dangerous, so when the sun set, I was forced to go much slower than normal. It took nearly twice as long as normal to cover the distance between Rynkirk and Emberwood. By the time I pulled into the gravel parking just in front of my house, it was clear that Magnus and Trent had already turned in for the night. Everything was quiet, and there weren’t even any lights on in their house. The whole property was lit by nothing but moonlight, making everything look soft around the edges, like I’d stumbled my way into a dream.
“Hey…” I nudged Ellis, who was still using my shoulder as a pillow. “We’re here.”
The sleep that clung to his eyes gave him an adorable expression, and I was sad that he woke up so quickly. However, his nap during the drive seemed to have invigorated him, and he practically jumped from the truck with a spring in his step.
“I’m glad nothing’s happened to the place while we were gone. I know it may seem weird, but this place has kind of become a safe haven to me, you know.”
I wrapped an arm around his shoulder and led him toward the house, always keeping an eye on the tree line. Our home might be a safe haven, but I didn’t trust the world beyond our property line.
“I know. Come on. Let’s get you inside. You’ve had a long day.”
Ellis seemed more interested in looking around the property than getting inside where it was safe, so I kept my arm around him and practically dragged him along. With his memories restored, he must be revaluating everything with new eyes, so I could understand his distraction. Yet, I couldn’t breathe easy until a locked door stood between us and the open night air.
Luckily, Ellis didn’t mind coming inside, for he was just as interested in examining the house as he was the rest of the property.
“Have you considered naming this place?”
I wasn’t really listening as I brought him up the stairs, so I just gave him a noncommittal grunt. It hardly counted as a conversation, but my single syllable response was all Ellis needed to keep going.
“You know, like, The Nowhere Ranch, or The Medowshire Estate. Something like that.”
My foot hit the top of the stair’s landing before I realized what he was saying and turned back to him.
“Wait. What are you talking about?”
Normally, someone would be upset to realize their conversation partner hadn’t been listening to them, but Ellis wasn’t fazed and kept right on talking with a smile on his face.
“Your property. Places always feel more important when they have an actual name, and your home is so special. It deserves a name as well.”
“That’s…” I was about to dismiss the idea but stopped when I thought about it for a moment. “That’s a good idea. We should do that. Maybe when everything is over, we can figure something out.” My gaze landed on the door to the guest bedroom, and I was reminded of even more things that we needed to take care of. “Before that, though, we’ll need to track down your stuff. Now that your memories are back, I’m sure you want to get back to your own apartment.”