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“Dad! For the love of god, let me help you.”

“Oh, I’m fine,” Phil says. “Go sit with the others. Luc and I have got this.”

With an exasperated huff, Xander tries to take a plate full of raw hamburger patties from his dad. Phil dodges him and lightly hits Xander in the shins with his cane.

“Hey!” he exclaims. “That’s child abuse!”

“Pretty sure that only counts if you’re still an actual child, Xan,” Lucas says from where he’s standing in front of the grill.

Colton and I exchange amused smiles. We’re sitting next to each other on a picnic blanket in Phil’s backyard. Rachel is in front of me while I braid her hair, which is just about the only thing I’ve done all afternoon. Whenever I finish, she runs inside to look at herself in the mirror before dashing out and begging me to do another style.

I start my job as a social worker next week. The boys made sure I knew that I didn’t have to work, but I don’t think any of them actually expected me to stay home. They know how important this job is to me. I may not be able to save my siblings yet, but that doesn’t mean I can’t help other kids.

It took a while to feel safe enough to leave the house without one of them with me, but I got there eventually. My anxiety isn’t gone, but between Athelia, the guys, and my therapist, I’ve found some ways to calm myself in the moment. It also helps that the men who wanted to kill me are all dead.

“Sit,” Phil says firmly, batting Xander away with his cane when he won’t stop hovering. “Rachel can help set the table once Haven is finished with her hair.”

“Awww, Dad, why do I have to be the one to do it?” Rachel whines.

“Because you’re not on vacation.”

Rachel grumbles under her breath, and I laugh.

“How about I help you?” I suggest. I know Phil will disapprove, but he can’t order me around the way he can Xander. And if he tries to hit me with that cane…

Well, let’s just say he knows better than that.

“Really?” Rachel asks, perking up.

“Why not?”

She grins. “Sweet.”

Colton leans in and kisses my shoulder. “You’re too good for us.”

“Oh, I know.” I tilt my head and fit my mouth to his in a chaste kiss.

“Gross!” Rachel throws herself away from us.

I roll my eyes. “Whatever. Let’s go set the table.”

As I pass by Lucas, I give him a quick kiss. Xander is leaning against the table on the patio, and when I get close enough, he pulls me into him. He kisses me softly before letting me go, but I feel his eyes on me until I disappear into the house after Rachel.

“Do you have to leave?” Rachel asks as we grab plates.

“You’ve still got a whole six days with us.”

“Yeah, but after that. What if you stayed?”

“We can’t, but we’ll be back. Xander is already planning on another quick trip before Thanksgiving.”

“Good. Dad is happier when you guys are here.” She grins. “And so am I.”

I smile back. “I think we all are.”

When we head back outside with everything we need, Colton has gotten up from the picnic blanket and is on the patio. He drops a kiss to the top of my head and steals the paper plates from my hand.

“I’ve got it, angel. You relax.”

I know better than to fight him. The boys still barely let me do any housework at home, and apparently that extends to trips, too. It’s sweet of them, and it makes me feel understood.

Since I don’t have anything to do, I take everyone in. I’ll always love my mother and siblings, and one day I hope to get my brothers and sisters out of Cornerstone, but this is my family. They’ve supported me at every turn, especially the boys.

Even Phil and Rachel seem to be protective of me. Just yesterday, when Rachel had friends over, one of the girls asked me why my hair was different lengths. Rachel got so mad that I had to step in and calm her down.

My focus turns to Lucas just as he pulls Xander into his side. His expression turns sincere as he whispers something I can’t make out.

A smile takes over Xander’s face, one that shows every little thing he’s feeling. “Love you, too, Ace.”

Lucas kisses him, and while it’s only for a split second, I know the weight it holds for both of them. They’ve been through hell and back for each other, but it’s only brought them closer. Everything they do for each other is intentional.

When the food is ready, we all sit at the table. There’s no prayer before we eat, and there’s no parent scolding us for using incomplete sentences. I can relax and laugh as loudly as I want.

And when it’s time to clean up, the boys insist on doing all the work while Rachel, Phil, and I build a fire. Apparently, it’s a requirement in the Eldridge family to have s’mores whenever they have a cookout.

Xander makes mine for me because I’m too afraid of burning my marshmallow, and I have to wash my hands after I finish eating because my hands are too sticky.

“How was your first-ever s’more?” Xander asks when I come back out.

“Perfect.” I kiss him. “You should make me another.”

He grins. “Your wish is my command, doll.”

Lucas pulls me into his lap, and I sigh happily. This is the perfect end to the perfect day.

“All right,” Phil says, glancing at Rachel. “It’s time for you to go to bed, kiddo.”

“What?” she exclaims. “But it’s only eight-thirty!”

“And you’ve got a big day tomorrow. You need to rest so you can spend all day running from one roller coaster to the next.”

We offered to take Rachel to a nearby amusement park tomorrow. I’m a little nervous—I’ve never been to an amusement park before—but mostly, I’m excited.

“If you go to bed now,” Colton says, “then tomorrow will get here faster.”

“Hmm.” Rachel frowns, thinking. “I suppose that’s a good point.”

“Besides, we’re just gonna hang out and talk,” Xander adds. “You’ll be bored to death.”

“Aww, but can’t we watch a movie or something? Please, Daddy? I can fall asleep while we’re watching it so I’ll still go to bed early!”

“Yeah, I’ve fallen for that trick one too many times.” Phil stands. “Let’s go, hon.”

With a dramatic sigh, Rachel gets up from her camping chair and begrudgingly drags herself inside. Phil follows with an amused smile.

“All right, we’re moving,” Xander says as he gets to his feet. “I love s’mores, but it’s way too hot out to be sitting around a fire.”

We all murmur our agreements as we follow him to the picnic blanket. The guys place themselves so they’re surrounding me, something they all started doing subconsciously once they brought me home. Or… maybe it’s not subconscious at all.

I look up at the bright blue sky, the sun just low enough that everything is beginning to turn golden. It’s the exact shade it was when we fled Cornerstone. Every time the sky gets like this, my mind tries to play tricks on me. Even now, knowing I’m fully protected, I can’t get my thoughts to fall quiet.

“Sometimes, I still think I can see the smoke,” I say softly.

Xander’s hand covers mine. “So do I.”

I glance at him. “Do you think it’ll ever stop?”

“I don’t, no.” His smile is sad, but there’s a hint of gratitude, too.

“But it’s never touching either of you again,” Lucas says, and his voice wraps around me like the first warm breeze after a cold, bleak winter.

It gives me hope.

Colton’s arms encircle me from behind, and he kisses my cheek. “Never again, angel. We’ve got you.”

I smile and brush my fingers over the star tattoo on his wrist. “I know.”

THE END.