Page 270 of Show Me

I laugh into his shoulder while his arm wraps loosely around my waist. Everything feels right. Perfect.

No waiting for something bad to happen. No bracing for him to disappear. Just morning light spilling through the windows. Coffee warming my hands. Decaf, but I’ll survive. And Xavier standing beside me barefoot in my kitchen while he argues with a pig.

Home.

It feels like home again.

Chapter One Hundred Fifty-One

Xavier

One Week Later

The winter sun offers more light than warmth as I stand beside the framed addition with Travis and Mark, the smell of fresh-cut lumber lingering in the air.

Nail guns crack somewhere behind us. Lewis is swearing at a ladder. Again. Just another day on the construction site.

I glance down at the blueprint in my hand while Travis talks through delivery timing for next week’s materials.

“We’re gonna need another drywall crew if weather pushes us back again.”

“Hmm.”

Travis narrows his eyes. “You’re not listening to me.”

“I am.”

“You absolutely are not.”

Mark snorts. “His brain left like twenty minutes ago.”

“My brain’s right here.”

Travis checks his watch. “It’s three-thirty. He’s already mentally clocked out.”

“I’m standing right fucking here.”

“For now.” Mark grins. “Four-thirty hits, and this guy disappears like we’re charging him by the minute to stay.”

“I have somewhere better to be.” Both of them go quiet. Fuck.

Travis’s grin spreads slowly. “Did you hear that?”

“I heard it.” Mark nods solemnly. “Our boy has somewhere better to be.”

I flip them both off and look back at the blueprint.

Travis laughs. “You’ve gone soft.”

“Shut up.”

“Nah. You used to be the asshole keeping us here late.”

I glare at them. “And now I’ve realized I don’t like you people enough for overtime.”

“Bullshit.”

“Fine.” The irritation at their teasing dissolves. It’s not like I care that they know I’m gone over Ruby. “It turns out I like going home to her.” The words settle out into the open air. Simple. True. And I don’t feel one ounce of regret for saying them. I should’ve said them months ago.