"This is better than cable," Alex mutters.
“Right?” Marcus adds.
"Should I move back to the lake house?" I ask the room. "Is that what you're all telling me?"
"No," Camilla, Mia and Marcus say collectively.
"You should stay exactly where you are and see what happens." Camilla continues.
“And you should ask yourself what you actually want," Mia says quietly. "Not what's practical. Not what makes sense. What you want."
The room goes still.
I look down at the half-assembled gift bag in my lap, at the tiny bottles and ribbons and chocolates that are supposed to celebrate new life and new beginnings.
"I don't know," I admit.
"Yes you do," Camilla says. "You just don't want to say it out loud yet."
Marcus squeezes my shoulder. "For what it's worth, I vote for the guy who inspired four bestselling novels over the guy who's reportedly a piece of shit."
And just like that, the chaos resumes.
But this time, I'm laughing.
Because this—this messy, nosy, overwhelming, unconditionally supportive group of people—this is family.
Even when they're completely out of line.
Especially then.
CHAPTER 21
BEERS AND BANTER
NATE
By the timewe get to Sonder, the place is already loud—filled with the conversation and laughter. The boys are with me: Julian, Levi, and Sonny. No one has seen or heard from Tommy and my growing concern is starting to get the better of not just me, but all of us.
We claim our corner booth, order drinks, fall into the easy rhythm of shit talking that doesn't require performance.
"Oi!" Jay's voice cuts through the noise before I see him, and then he's there, Ollie right behind him, both grinning like they own the place.
“Well if it isn’t the devil himself.” Julian says, sliding over to make room.
“You missed the word handsome there, Thatchy,” Jay says, dropping into the booth.
Ollie settles in beside him, already reaching for the pitcher of beer in the center of the table.
"Mia's let you out?" Levi says to Ollie.
"More like she kicked me out. Apparently all I do is hover." He pours himself a glass, grinning. "Her exact words were 'go, before I murder you.’”
"Wise woman," Jay says. "Knows her limitations."
The conversation flows easily after that—Jay asking the boys about the album, Julian launching into a story about a disastrous recording session last week, Levi arguing with Sonny about some football match I wasn't paying attention to.
Ollie leans back, lets the sports debate rage around us, then turns to me with that look—the one that says we're about to have a conversation I don't want to have.
