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When I spot my mom, I’m not at all surprised to see she’s carrying an abundance of gifts, my dad following close behind with two my bags crammed full.
“Mom.” I gasp. “We told you no gifts this year.”
She bats her eyes, smiling. “I know. I just got a few things.”
“A few things my ass,” Amberly mumbles, giggling and then damn near falls off the stool she’s perched on.
I take the bottle before it too, falls. “Maybe you’ve had enough.”
She catches her balance by hanging onto the counter. “I think you’re right.” Her eyes drift to Scarlet. “What’s she doing to that bird? It’s like she’s giving it a Pap smear.”
I burst out laughing as Scarlet is elbow deep in the bird. Tiller walks in with Wyatt sound asleep in his arms. He smiles at his wife. Pause here for a moment. Look at the way he smiles at her. It’s tender and sweet. Two words I never thought I could use in the same sentence with Tiller, but also, wife. They’re married. So crazy.
Anyway, his eyes drift to Scarlet. “Why ya balls deep in a bird, Northwest?”
She glares at him, still digging around. “I’m trying to find your heart.”
He smirks, rocking Wyatt lightly in his arms. “Keep looking. I sold it to the devil a long time ago.”
Mom makes her way to the kitchen, looks at the scene before her and smiles at Scarlet. “Do you need help, honey?”
“No. I got this.” Scarlet assures her, but then pulls out a bag of what looks to be a heart in a bag. “What if the hell is that?”
Tiller goes to say something, but then Amberly shushes him.
“I’m going to see if Roan wants to help,” Willa notes, disappearing outside.
I turn to my mom. “Mom, you really didn’t have to bring gifts. These kids are spoiled rotten already.”
“I wanted to. Nothing makes me happier than having grand kids to buy gifts for.”
“You have one.”
Reaching for the wine, she rolls her eyes. “Nope. They’re all mine.”
I laugh. It’s just like her to say that. Neither one of my parents grew up with family. My dad’s parents died when he was in his early twenties and my mom, tragically, hers were murdered when she was kidnapped and held hostage. She was eighteen. I can’t even imagine losing my parents at eighteen.
Despite the odds, and the fact that my dad technically kidnapped my kidnapped mom, I know, sounds weird. But regardless, he gave her the best option she had and they made a family.
And look at the Sawyer brothers. They suffered tragedy and Ricky took them in and made a family with that. A dysfunctional one at times, but still, it’s a family. One I’m happy to be a part of.
“I almost feel bad for the turkey at this point,” Amberly notes, taking the wine back.
I giggle. “Right? It’s like she’s violating it.”
Scarlet holds up her hand, the one with raw turkey juice all over it. “I can hear you hookers. Stop making fun of me.”
While we laugh at her, I realize how much I love this, and these girls. They’re my walk in slow motion, down for anything, always have my back, ride or die crew.
In the process of removing her hand, Scarlet flings what looks to be an organ at Amberly. It smacks her right in the face and then lands in her wine glass. She peers down at it, then to me, and finally, to Scarlet. “What is that?”
I push away from the counter, distancing myself from the madness. “The heart?”
Between the chaos in the kitchen and the madness that seems to always follow being a part of this family, I fight off the biggest smile. Peering over my shoulder, I spot Roan holding Lennox. And this, this is where my story ends. With those two. Someone once asked me in an interview before a race when did I know I loved Roan.
For me, I had to go back years. To that night in Paris, probably, but it could have been the moment I saw him. I had this relentless need to know him and while it seemed unattainable for so long, now it’s not. But every time I’m asked that question, I think back to how badly we fucked it up in the beginning. We were reckless with our love. We loved dangerously, and at the expense of everything and everyone around us. It was a wild ride for sure. There was so much love, but also, ugliness. We hurt one another. Repeatedly. And then came the forgiveness. We finally saw it for what it was. Unrestricted love.
For a girl who never thought she was good enough for someone like Roan Sawyer, he showed me I am. He taught me how to love, his way, and in turn, he imprinted into my heart and forever a part of my soul.