Page 93 of Dandelions and Smoke

“But you’re right,” I say, choking on my own words and tossing the dandelion aside. “I’m running away because I’m afraid that even if Chief chooses me, his ex-wife won’t let him see his son. What happens when things get hard? Because they will. What happens when he realizes I’m the reason his life is complicated, that I’m the one in the way of his happiness? How do I know he won’t decide that he’s better off without me? What if I’m not meant to be loved?”

The questions pour out of me, one after another without a breath in between. Tears spill over my cheeks, causing my vision to blur as my pulse thunders so loudly in my ears that I don’t notice Lettie in front of me until she gently wipes my face and holds it in her hands.

“What if you are?” she counters. “What if the love you’ve always hoped for is right here?”

My brows draw together, my mind scrambling to catch up, convinced I’ve missed something when Lucas’s horn cuts through my thoughts, and I turn to look. My mind struggles to understand, to believe what I’m seeing as his truck travels closer over the gravel driveway.

“Princess Rory!” Chief yells, standing in the bed of the pickup truck and waving flowers in his hand, as Lucas beeps the horn, blasting opera music.

The whole thing is something straight out of the end scene from Pretty Woman, and even knowing it’s adorably cheesy, laughter catches in my throat as more tears well up in my eyes.

“They’re not letting you go, Ror. None of us are,” Lettie whispers, giving me a side hug as Lucas puts the truck in park, his goofy grin visible even from here.

“Wait.” My gaze shoots to Lettie. “They?”

She motions to the truck instead of answering as the doors open in time for Blake, Billy, and Tris all to climb out, with Chief hopping out of the bed behind them.

My hands cover my mouth as I stare, at a loss for words that they’re all here, my gaze bouncing between each of them, checking to make sure I’m not imagining this whole thing.

“Ror, I hope you don’t mind,” Lucas says, the corners of his mouth curving as he speaks before skipping over the steps to get to Lettie for a kiss. “I picked up a few stragglers at the airport. They say they’re here to bring you home.”

“What?” I rock back on my heels and into the porch post, overcome with emotion.

They’re really here.

I must be in shock because the words I’m looking for are nowhere to be found.

“You okay there, Half-Pint?” my brother asks, stopping on the bottom step until we're almost eye level.

I nod, swallowing past the tightness around my throat and taking in a shaky breath.

“I think Pinky’s in shock,” Billy laughs, his hand landing on Blake’s shoulder as they stare at me.

“We’re really here, Brat.” Tris pops her hip and crosses her arms, but as my gaze meets hers, something soft replaces the tension in her eyes and a small, reluctant smile tugs at her lips. “I had to fly economy,” she adds, sounding horrified. “Between these two.”

A laugh bubbles out of me as she points between Billy and Chief, but it catches in my throat as Chief and I lock eyes. He stands, farthest from me like his feet have been nailed to the ground, but it’s as though I can already feel his embrace by the way he looks at me. The confidence it must have taken for him to put on his Pretty Woman performance is nowhere to be found. Instead, his jaw tics nervously and his eyes search my face for a sign. He opens his mouth to say something but stops, and his forehead wrinkles.

“I’m so sorry. You don’t understand. I had to leave,” I say quickly, stumbling over my words. “Not only for Lettie but for you.”

“I know,” he nods, shifting his weight closer.

“No, you don’t. There’s so much I haven’t told you.” I look around, feeling my stomach drop and guilt squeeze its fists around me. “That I haven’t told any of you.”

“Actually…”

Lettie’s voice trails off as Lucas shuffles her back to the swing to sit down.

“You promised you wouldn’t say anything.”

“No,” she corrects, wearing a grin that’s anything but apologetic. “I promised I wouldn’t call them. And I didn’t.” She shrugs. “They called me.”

“So,” I murmur, turning my attention back to Chief. “You know.”

He nods, taking a step toward me, then another, until he’s close enough to take my trembling hands in his after placing the bouquet of dandelions on the rail beside me.

What did he have to do to get a whole bouquet of dandelions?

He follows my gaze and smirks, probably knowing exactly what I’m thinking despite the moment feeling so heavy. Sighing, he drags his tongue across his bottom lip, and the lines between his brows deepen before smoothing away.