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JD joins us in the kitchen. “Hey, Raffe just called and asked if you could go to their house for your therapy tomorrow. Rachel is having a hard time with the new meds they started her on.”

“What time? I’ll give her a ride over there,” Ash offers.

I close my journal with Ash’s favorite poem safely and beautifully preserved inside. Ash shared something personal with me, and it was deep and profound, and I want to keep it with me forever.

“We were meeting at two, but it’s okay. I know you have to work. I can drive myself over.”

“I’ll just plan on taking my lunch at that time. No worries. I’ll see you then.” He stands up and stretches, and oh my god, his abs are right in my face.

He doesn’t seem to notice that I’m drooling over him, but Elizabeth does. She lets out a little chuckle and pulls her husband from the room to give us a minute.

Ash helps me stand, and then he hugs me tightly. “I can’t wait until we’re able to sleep next to each other every night,” he says quietly.

“I heard that,” JD says from the other room.

We smile at each other. “Me too,” I whisper in his ear.

“Well, I better get going.”

“Will you text me when you get home?” I ask, my brain instantly scolding myself for such a request.

He kisses me on the forehead. “Of course.”

A warm fuzzy feeling spreads through my entire body.

I walk him out, lingering by his bike longer than I should. We both laugh when someone flips the light on the porch on and then off again to let me know it’s time to wrap it up.

“Jeez, I didn’t know I’d have to deal with a set of overprotective parents,” Ash jokes.

My gaze roams over the house. “Me either, but isn’t it wonderful?”

He runs his thumb over my bottom lip and then leans down and kisses me, long and slow. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow. I’ll bring the truck, but man I can’t wait until you get rid of this thing.” He taps the boot on my foot. “I’m excited to get you on the back of my bike.”

A thrill runs up my spine at the thought of riding behind him. There’s a voice inside my head that tells me I’m not worth it, but I shut it up real fast. I’m learning to be more selective about which thoughts I listen to.

Elizabeth is waiting for me when I get inside. She smiles at me and pats the cushion beside her on the couch. “I want to hear all about your date.”

I sit down, laying my crutches beside me. “It was amazing.” My fingers trace the floral pattern we’re sitting on. “We had a good talk about … things.”

She runs her hand down the side of my face. “Oh, hun, I’m glad. I think communication is the most important thing in a relationship. I know it can be hard to talk about certain things, but it really is necessary to keep things healthy.”

My eyes tear up. “I’m really sorry I ran out of here the way I did that day …”

Elizabeth remains quiet, but her gaze goes to the dragonfly hanging on the wall.

“I wish my parents would have been as brave as you. You know, giving up your daughter for adoption. Believe me when I tell you this, you are an amazing mother, and I’m so lucky to have you in my life.”

She cries softly, and somehow JD hears her. He rushes out to the living room.

It makes us both chuckle. “I’m fine. Go back to bed. We’re just having a little mother-daughter talk.”

His eyes soften at that. He gives us both a kiss on the cheek and leaves us to it.

She takes my hands in hers. “I promise you, Lexie, I will always be here for you. I really do want you to consider yourself my daughter, okay?”

I nod, because there are no words for how much I want that.

“Oh, you know what we should do someday? We should go and get matching tattoos.”