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Chapter 1
Charlie
“Hey, princess. How are you?” Dad’s face fills the screen and makes me smile.
It’s been far too long since I’ve gotten to see him in person. I can't wait to be only a short drive away, or maybe a short walk down the hallway until I find somewhere else to call my home. Either way, living on the other side of the country is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done.
I want to go home.
“I miss you.” I stick my bottom lip out in a pout, just like I’ve always done to him.
He’s always been my rock and my protector. The one person I know I can count on when things get hard or I just need a strong shoulder to cry on.
When I look at the way he treats Mom, I see the type of man I want in my life. One who is going to think of me and our family before making any decisions. One who will drop everything whenhis family needs him. Someone who will always make sure we’re safe and taken care of.
“Damn, I miss your pouty face.” He chuckles and shakes his head. “It’s going to be heaven when you move back home,” he says softly.
“I can't wait. I’ll be home tomorrow for my interview, then I'm coming back to California until I’m told what my start date will be. I'm hoping it’s sooner rather than later.”
“You could just come stay with us until you start working.” Mom pops onto the screen and she smiles brightly. “I need my baby home.”
“Sophia’s the baby.” I roll my eyes.
“Nah, you’ll always be my baby girl,” Dad says firmly.
“You didn’t even know me as a baby,” I chuckle.
“Yeah, let’s not remind him of that or he might start crying,” Mom teases. She presses a big kiss to Dad’s cheek.
“You’re lucky I love you because that’s just mean. I love my little girl, it doesn’t matter if we don’t share DNA, she’ll always be mine.”
“I know, sweetie.” Mom pats him on the chest. “She’s the one who turned you into a papa bear.”
“I'm fairly certain she did the same to you. Gone was the fun aunt and in came the mama bear.”
“Oh, shush! I’m still the same fun aunt she’s had her whole life, but I'm also her stand-in mamanow.”
“You’re not a stand-in mama.” I roll my eyes again. They like to downplay their parts in my life, but they shouldn’t. They’re more my parents than my real parents were. “Kasey died when I was four, I barely remember her. You’re my mom, just like Wes is my dad. I don’t care who participated in making me or giving birth to me because it’s the two of you who stepped up and became my parents, even when you didn’t have to.”
“Well, fuck, now I might cry.” Dad waves his hand dramatically in front of his face.
“Cry on your way, babe. We’re late… We’re headed over to the pavilion, you should stay on the call and say hi to everyone.” Mom takes the phone from Dad and steps outside.
“Have you told anyone I'm moving home?”
“Not yet. You told us you didn’t want anyone to know until after your interview.”
“You didn’t even tell Kennedy?” I arch a brow, not believing a word she’s saying.
“Did I tell her? No. No, I didn’t.”
“So, Dad told Blake?” I sigh. “I swear the two of them are worse than a couple of chatty old women.”
“Hey! I heard that!” Blake grabs the phone from Mom and scowls at me. “You love me and you know it!”
“Obviously, but the four of you are a little too involved in mylife.”
“There’s no such thing, sweetheart.” He winks at me. “In my defense, you practically lived at my house for years. You and Wyatt were inseparable and we all thought you’d be getting married before you were twenty.”
