“I’m biased, but yeah.”
“Excellent,” they whispered.
“You coulda told me they were into coffee,” I muttered to Teddy. “I coulda got on their good side about six hours ago.”
Teddy let out a surprised laugh as I turned into the driveway of the new house and parked next to Dylan’s truck.
“We’re here,” Finn announced excitedly. “It’s huge!”
“Ready?” I asked Teddy. She was staring out the windshield, completely still even after I’d turned off the truck.
The kids took their cue from her, and neither of them moved to exit.
“Leave your stuff,” she ordered after a moment, turning to look at the kids as she unbuckled her seatbelt. “We’ll come back out and grab it after we’ve gotten a look around, okay?”
The calm and capable woman I’d met at the bus station had slowly become quieter and more contemplative over the drive, and now she was strung tight as a wire.
She threw open her door, and I looked at the kids. “Hold tight a minute, yeah?” I asked as I hopped out. “Gimme one second.”
I rounded the hood quickly and reached Teddy just as she closed her door.
“Hey,” I called, reaching for her.
She startled for the first time since we’d met.
“Hey,” I said again, softer. “You good?”
“Fine,” she replied, nodding.
“It’s gonna be all right,” I assured her. “It’s late. We’ll get the kids settled and figure shit out in the morning, yeah?”
“I’m fine, Curtis,” she repeated. “Seriously.”
“Curt,” I corrected. “Only the government and my mother call me Curtis.”
“Good to know.”
She was still stiff as hell and trying to hide it.
“Teddy,” I murmured, reaching out again. This time, she let out a sigh when my hand wrapped around the side of her neck.
Stepping closer, I bent my head.
“All good,” I assured her. “We’re here. We made it. You’re surrounded by Aces. Now, we’ll just get started on a life. Smooth sailin’.”
“You don’t really believe that, do you?” she asked dryly.
I let out a short laugh. “No. But tonight? Yeah.”
The front door opened behind me, and light flooded out. My body shadowed Teddy, and she leaned around me to look.
“F-350,” my brother called out. “Nice.”
“Brace,” I told Teddy, sliding my hands away. “Welcoming committee incoming.”
I looked up at Jesse and nodded for them to get out. Immediately, their door flew open, and first Jesse and then Finn came scrambling out of the truck.
“Come on,” I said, leading them up the walk with my hand on the small of Teddy’s back.
