Page 132 of Never Quiet

Chapter Thirty

Amanda’s best friend returned to Washington but hinted that he wanted to introduce her to the nameless, faceless woman he’d talked about steadily for two years.

Davis hugged Amanda hard, for a long time, and whispered at her ear, “I’m stationed indefinitely at the Delkin estate. Your family and theirs have a lot of history so get strong enough to visit.” Leaning back, he added softly, “Harper and Brie set a date and you need to be there with the rest of your people.”

Twisting her hands together, she asked, “How much time do I have to mentally prepare?”

“Next summer. When people from their backgrounds get married, it’s a whole thing. My god.” He smoothed her hair from her face. “You know you’ll be invited. You know they’ll both be in the wedding party. Power up.”

Nodding, she hugged him again and watched as he drove away.

By the time her twentieth birthday arrived in early June, Amanda felt stronger, focused, and hopeful again.

Several weeks of platonic texts with Hayden went a long way to settling her mind but did little to ease her ache for him.

His absence was a gaping hole in her life.

Her parents insisted on a huge party at the ranch in Cedarton. Mainly because her father demanded they have a bounce house.

Set back from the farmhouse in the back pasture was a building that mimicked the original structure. It was the two-story barracks building that housed the security people Amanda and Noel hired to watch her family.

While they were in Cedarton, her protective detail stayed there as well. Roark and Ash were in the main house with her. It was a lot of manpower but Amanda didn’t care. Better too many people than not enough to shut down a threat.

Standing on the front porch, she grinned as the closest people in her life arrived one by one along with many friends of her family. It had been two years since the last time anyone had seen her here.

So much had happened within that time.

After it was cleared at the top of the drive, a massive SUV stopped in front of the porch. Amanda grinned as her family from Florida piled out.

Chaz and Shawn hugged her the longest, Gunner and Dakota hugged her the hardest, and Sterling…well, he was huge.

At nine, he was almost as tall as Zoe.

He signed hello to her family and she was proud to see he hadn’t gotten rusty. He hugged her, gorgeous like everyone else in his family, and gave her a wink.

“Still holding out hope, Amanda.”

She laughed. “Remember, you have to ask.”

“I will. I’ll get a ring, go down on one knee, the whole thing. You’ll say yes because, I mean, look at me. I’m obviously going to be taller than you and I’m frickin’ adorable!”

“You truly are.” Heather walked out on the porch and leaned against Amanda. She stared at Gunner and Dakota’s son intently. “Do you remember Sterling, Heather?”

“Hi, Heather,” the boy signed and spoke.

“Hi. I remember you.” She tilted her head. “You got big.”

“You got prettier. I like your dress.”

Heather smiled and smoothed her pale pink sundress gently. “I look like my mom. Think you can reach the cookie jar?”

With a small bow, Sterling held out his hand and Heather placed hers in it. He kissed the back and put it on his arm. Smiling down at her, he said, “If I can’t reach it, I’ll climb. You deserve a cookie. A lady should always get what she needs.”

Tugging her lower lip between her teeth, Amanda stared at Dakota. They were both struggling not to laugh. “Well, Mrs. Cain, I guess we might be related one day after…”

Erick walked slowly up the porch steps behind his family. His eyes moved down her body and back to her face.

Beside her, Callie laughed. “This guy…”

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