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“You’re not going back to that apartment anymore,” said Luca. “Not with that psycho stalking you all over town.”
She turned in a circle, then stepped inside. Reaching out to touch the freshly-painted walls, there were all new tears in her eyes.
“Really?” she breathed.
“You hate the color, don’t you?” I joked. “Well, we could always—”
Jenna flung herself into my arms, full-on sobbing against my chest. It was a little heartbreaking, but it also felt incredible.
“And you’re not the only one moving in,” I added, stroking her hair. “I’m taking the bedroom at the other end of the hall. My lease is almost up anyway, and Luca’s graciously—”
She stood on her toes and kissed me, laughing and crying, smearing her warm tears all over my cheeks. A moment later she was in Tyler’s arms, and then Luca’s, doing the same. Kissing and laughing and releasing all that pent-up emotion all at once, so that it flooded out in a full range of happiness, sadness, and overwhelming relief.
“Jenna weloveyou,” said Tyler. “All of us together, as crazy as that seems. We’ve talked about this. We’ve decided there’s nothing we want more than to share you, together, always. If that’s okay with you.”
Her eyes were glassy, but full of hope. She nodded vigorously.
“And that’s not going to change either,” I added. “None of this is temporary. It’s not a rainbow.” I touched her chin, tilting her gaze my way. “It’s a foundation.”
She was wracked with sobs now, as tears of happiness streamed down her cheeks. It felt like we’d fished her out of a dark hole. Rescued her from a pit of despair and loneliness.
I only wished we’d done it sooner.
“Live with us,” Luca said definitively. “You belong here anyway.”
Her smile was a beacon of light, beaming back at us. Her nervous laughter was musical.
“One last thing, though,” said Tyler. “And you really need to know this.”
He paused dramatically, then pointed in the direction of across the street.
“Our love for you isdefinitelynot contingent upon what that asshole does,” Tyler said sternly. “So please stop feeling guilty. No matter what he tries to pull next.”
She swallowed, then bit her lip. When she nodded again, I could see she understood.
“O—Okay.”
“Good,” Luca affirmed. “Because when it comes to Elijah Strong—”
“We’ll deal with him,” Tyler assured her.
Forty-Seven
JENNA
Somehow, my old apartment felt the same empty as it did full. It had the same hollow vibe to it. The same cold, lonely feeling, even when it was lived in, and full of furniture.
That’s because there were no good memories for me here, I realized soberly.This was supposed to be a transition. A temporary space I occupied for too long.
It felt cathartic to close the door for the last time. And when the landlord came for the final walk-through? It was satisfying as hell to hand him his key back.
“You ready?”
Jay stood just outside with the last box of my stuff perched on one gorgeous shoulder. It had been two weeks since I’d moved out. His heartfelt smile was everything I ever wanted but didn’t realize I needed.
“Fuck yeah I am.”
We hopped in his ride, and a minute later we were rounding the corner and turning the page on this place. Closing this sad, lonely chapter in my life’s book.
