Page 56 of My One

My eyes widened. “You what?”

Avery mouthed, “What?”

I shrugged.

“We came to help you guys out. Text me the address, and we’ll be there soon.”

“You’re here? In Santa Barbara?” I questioned, still confused.

“Yes, Nic.”

“Seriously?”

“Nicole Scott! Hang up the damn phone and text which bank you’re at so Easton can start driving us away from the fucking airport.”

“Okay, bye.” I hung up the phone and opened my text messages. As I typed which bank we were at, I said, “So, our friends flew here.”

“Really?” Avery asked.

“Yep. I had no idea they were coming.”

“Me neither.”

Twenty minutes later, our friends pulled into the parking lot. Avery and I slid out of our car and three doors in the other opened. I wasn’t expecting Cheyenne to come—even though I had no idea they were coming at all—but I’d assumed it would only be Easton and Brooke given the circumstances.

“C.C.!” Avery boomed and rushed to her with open arms.

Cheyenne rolled her eyes. “Don’t call me that.”

“Shut up,” Avery stated and pulled her into his arms. “Your pre-teen shit isn’t going to work on me.”

“Uncle A!” she protested and pushed at his chest. He didn’t budge. “I’m almost thirteen. You can call me Chey.”

“I’ll call you whatever I want.” He gave her one final squeeze and released her. She rolled her eyes and pulled her phone from her back pocket.

“Teenagers,” Brooke said and opened her arms. We hugged while the guys greeted each other.

After pulling away from a hug with Brooke, I whispered, “Thank you.” Avery and I were married, loved each other, and knew we were there for the other, but I also knew that having his lifelong friend to help would be a blessing.

“So why are you guys at a bank?” Brooke asked.

“Nic found a safety deposit box key among my mom’s belongings, so we’re going to see what’s in it,” Avery replied.

“You don’t know?” Easton asked.

“Nope. That’s why we’re here.”

“You guys go ahead. We’re going to wait for Cheyenne’s grandfather out here,” Brooke advised.

“Oh, he’s coming to get her?” I asked, looking over at Chey who was still on her phone.

“Figured if we were coming all this way, I’d let Bill take her to see her mom,” Easton clarified.

It took me a second to understand what Easton meant. Avery had told me that when she visits her grandparents, she also visits her mom’s grave. It was sweet and sad all at the same time. Just like I couldn’t imagine losing my parents like Avery had less than a week ago, I couldn’t imagine growing up without my mother either.

“All right, we’ll be back.” Avery grabbed my hand, and we walked into the bank. We waited a few minutes for a banker to be available, and once one came over to us, Avery let him know what we needed. “We’d like to access a safety deposit box.”

“Sure, right this way.” We walked to his desk in a small cubicle and took a seat in the two chairs. “Let me just look up the account. Can I see your I.D.?”