Page 44 of Salvation (Rising From the Ashes #3)

“Uh—yeah. That’s exactly what we were doing.

Working on the mural. I wanted to show Cam what I’ve been doing, and I noticed some spots I missed the last time Ivy had me working on the base.

Since Ivy had me take the paint so I could work on it anytime I wanted, I went ahead and touched it up.

Isn’t that right, Cam?” Her eyes slant toward her boyfriend, as if trying to convey a message.

“Yeah,” he says smoothly. “That’s what it was. The mural.”

I look at Hayes, doing the silent conversation thing again to ask his take on the situation, but he only shrugs, leaving me to form my own opinion.

I know what he’s doing. Willow is my daughter, and if she were responsible for the graffiti down the street, it would ruin any steps we’ve taken to get to know each other.

He’s giving me an out, letting me make my own decision.

Chewing on the inside corner of my lip, I try to decide whether I believe her.

Sometimes, major depressive disorder can lead to making bad decisions just to feel something, and if Willow is experiencing a low right now, the graffiti might have been a way to do just that.

But as she stares at me down, waiting for me to make my decision about her, I choose to believe what she’s saying, even though there is a little warning in my gut saying I might be wrong.

______________________

Walking up the sidewalk to Ivy’s house, the sun is warm on my face.

Today is the day that Willow meets my parents, and just like everything my mother does, she has gone all out, turning it into a party.

She’d ask that I run it by Willow, wanting to make sure it wouldn’t make her uncomfortable before she started planning, but once Willow gave the okay, Della Rae Richards went full steam ahead.

Nothing would have stopped her from making this perfect, even if I did have to reel her in a couple of times to prevent her from inviting the whole town.

Willow and her parents will be here soon, and I was sent to collect Ivy.

I didn’t have to be told twice—or at all, really. I’d always planned on showing up at her doorstep so I could have the privilege of walking her the few feet over to my parents’ home, but I did not prepare myself for the sight of her opening the door and stepping into my view.

The sun’s rays bounce off her curls, turning them golden, and there’s a shyness about her smile that sparks hope in my chest. She’s dressed casually, wearing jeans and a hoodie, but she might as well be wearing a wedding dress for all my heart cares because she’s never looked more beautiful to me.

It makes me feel like a teenage boy again, waiting for a kiss from the girl I love.

“You didn’t have to come over here, Campbell. I’ve walked to your house plenty of times before.”

I wait to answer her, taking her hand and helping guide her down the steps to stand in front of me. Then I wrap my arms around her, breathing her in. She sighs into me, laying her head on my chest, and I revel in the feeling of holding my whole life in my arms.

“It’s not my house anymore, sunshine. I grew up and got one of those on my own.”

I can feel her rolling her eyes against my chest, and I bite back a smile, pressing a kiss against the top of her head. She pulls back to look up at me, letting me see my favorite color of honey. “I think I’d like to see it some day—see what you’ve done for yourself.”

I try not to let her feel me stiffen. “Yeah—” I say a little weaker than I intended. Clearing my throat, I smile and try again. “Yeah, that would be great.”

And it would be usually, but it’s been a while since I’ve kept up with my house. I don’t live in filth, but when things were at their darkest, I also did the bare minimum. Now that there is light back in my life, I’m starting to see all the places I have neglected.

Ivy’s brows screw together, but I don’t let her question get out. I tug on her hand, pulling her along with a grin on my face. “Come on, sunshine. You know how my mom feels about us being late.”

We heard that particular lecture a thousand times growing up, after we would show up late because we lost track of time beneath the willow tree. The lesson never stuck, though. We were always late again the next time for the very same reason.

Ivy’s head falls back with her laughter, spilling her joy into the sky. I trip over my feet as I memorize the sound, holding onto it in case my days become dark again.

We reach the edge of my parents’ yard just as the Bryants’ car pulls up to the curb. They won’t be able to see us from where we stand, but we can see them. Ivy stops, and I stop with her, standing by her side as she stares while they pile out of the car.

“It’s all very convenient for them. Isn’t it?” Ivy asks.

I look to where she is staring, finding John slipping his arm around Willow’s shoulder and plopping a kiss on Jackie’s lips, all while Kolton pretends to gag. There is an ease between the whole family that scalds against my skin even though I know it shouldn’t.

“Yeah,” I agree soberly. “It is.”

Ivy’s eyes turn to mine, shining with the same burn I feel. “Do you think it will ever be like that for us with her? Easy, like it should have been?”

“I don’t think parenting is supposed to be easy, sunshine—at least not according to my parents.”

Some of the hurt melts from her eyes, and she smiles, slapping my stomach with the back of her hand. “That’s because they parented you.”

Chuckling, I slip my arm around her shoulders and lead her on, knowing I was the least of my parents’ problems.

We reach the Bryants just in time to see my mother fly out the door with her hand covering her mouth and tears in her eyes, my dad ambling behind her at his usual slow, leisurely pace.

“I’m sorry in advance,” I warn Willow, who is eyeing the deranged lady racing toward her like she’s tempted to run. Before she can, though, my mom reaches her and wraps her in a hug, crushing her to her chest until I’m afraid she might not be able to breathe.

“Della Rae,” my dad chides in a voice that is deeper than normal. “Let the girl go.”

My mom huffs but complies, and my dad steps forward, taking her spot.

He doesn’t hug her like my mom, and I hold my breath as the older man and younger girl size each other up.

A few tense seconds pass in which I wonder which one will break first, never thinking it will be my dad, but finding myself surprised when it is.

Tears fill the eyes of the man I’ve only seen cry once, and time stands still as he pulls Willow into a hug that’s less crushing than the one my mom gave her—but still telling all the same—and whispers, “Sweet Willow. It is so nice to meet you.”

My eyes burn from holding back my tears, but when I look at Ivy, and Jackie, and John, all sporting wetness gathered on their cheeks, I remember that I don’t have to—that I’m allowed to feel everything. So I give into the freedom of that, and let myself feel it all.

My dad ends the hug, stepping back to give Willow room to breathe. Her eyes find mine, and, in a tone entirely too similar to my teenage self, she says, “I can see why you are the way you are.”

I raise a pointed brow and smile. “Yeah, it must be in the genes.”

Willow huffs, crossing her arms and looking away, but I don’t miss the smile that threatens to creep onto her lips.

With my arm still around Ivy’s shoulder, I lean down to her, whispering dramatically in her hair. “I think I’m growing on her.”

Ivy’s bark of laughter fills my soul, and I preen under the sound, not even minding when she smacks me again and says, “You’re like mold, Campbell. You grow on everyone.”

The weight of my grin is impossible to contain because whether she realizes it or not, she just admitted that I’m growing on her, too.

Before anyone can say anything more, the sound of a truck with a muffler that has seen better days pierces the air.

I look up to see Hayes pulling into my parents’ driveway, even though he knows my dad will only make him move so he doesn’t leak oil onto the concrete.

It’s the game they play. My dad’s way of showing affection to my friend, who is also like a brother, and Hayes’s way of showing it back, because they are both perpetually grumpy.

Two more trucks follow behind them, and then, once they are all in park, the people inside of them fall out like clowns out of a clown car.

I sigh, regretting giving Willow a choice for this party. I should have just said no because there’s no way she’s coming back around after meeting the chaos of my friends.

Dropping my arm from around Ivy’s shoulder, I pick up her hand and walk toward Willow, stopping beside her as John and Jackie talk with my parents and Kolton texts on his phone.

“Just remember you agreed to meet my family, and they,” I say, motioning toward the men and women walking our way, “are part of my family. No take-backs. That means you, too, sunshine.”

Willow eyes the ragtag group with a healthy dose of suspicion.

Hayes leads with MJ tucked in beside him, her belly starting to swell from her pregnancy.

She’s glowing, and it’s a good look for her.

Silas walks beside them, a milkshake and a pink gift bag in hand, while Theo walks a little behind with Lily’s hand tucked into his.

A straggler ambles behind the group, one of Theo’s fellow firemen, Zane—or as Hayes calls him, Theo’s version of me.

“I thought you said you only had one friend?” Willow asks, pulling her gaze from the approaching group to look at me.

“Noooo,” I say, stretching out the word, “Hayes said I only had one friend. And you believed him. He also claimed it was him, but he was wrong on both accounts. I have more than one friend, and my best friend is standing right here beside me.”

Glancing down at Ivy, I find her already staring up at me.

“I’m glad to know I finally rank above Hayes,” she says, the honey color of her eyes brighter today—more hypnotizing. “I always wondered when we were younger.”

She’s teasing me, but we both know that was never true. She never had to wonder. Ivy was always my number one choice.

“It was always you, sunshine,” I say with a kiss to her nose. She giggles, and Willow gags.

“Gross, a girl doesn’t need to see that.”

So I do it again, just because I can, and because this back and forth with Willow feels like our way of bonding.

When the group is close enough, I wrinkle my nose and pretend to sniff. Looking down at Ivy, I say, “Do you smell that, sunshine?” She shakes her head, a gleam of happiness in her eyes, and I continue. “It smells like a best friend stealer, and his lesser version of my awesomeness.”

Theo rolls his eyes, always undeterred by my antics. Lily smacks him, but Zane walks up to Ivy, taking the hand that isn’t holding mine and kissing her knuckles. He looks up at her and winks. “Don’t let him lie to you, sweetness. I’m the better version.”

A growl slips past my lips, and for a second, everyone freezes, surprised, but then Theo cracks a smile that turns into a gruff laugh. “Oh, I never thought I’d live to see the day Campbell let out his serious side.”

I grumble, tempted to revert back to the version I always show them, but then I feel it—a soft hand settling on my chest, right above my heart—and I’m reminded of the man I am trying to become for Ivy and Willow.

So I straighten my shoulders and stare him straight in the eyes when I say, “I’m finding some things are worth being serious for.

” A look of understanding flashes in Theo’s eyes, and he gives me a gruff nod of pride, and I do the same.

“With that said,” I say, looking at Zane, “don’t ever try to hit on my girl again—or I’ll be forced to show you why cops are far superior to rookie firemen. ”

Snorting, Theo claps me on the shoulder. “Did you steal that material from Hayes? Because I’m pretty sure that was his threat to me, too—even though I had no intention of stealing his girl—and it wasn’t intimidating then either.”

“Whatever,” Hayes mutters, pulling MJ closer into his side. “You know you were scared.”

“Terrified,” Theo says dryly.

“Don’t worry, Hayes,” MJ says, pressing a kiss to his rough cheek. “I think you are very intimidating.”

“I think he lost points for intimidation when you broke his nose with a tire iron,” I quip.

A chorus of laughter breaks out around the group, and Hayes rolls his eyes, taking the joke in stride.

Looking around, I take in the people who have been my friends over the years, who have saved me in ways they don’t know.

I haven’t given them enough credit. They were always there, even when I couldn’t see it.

“You broke his nose?” Willow asks with admiration in her voice. She’s looking at MJ like she might be her hero.

MJ shrugs, unashamed. “It was an accident.”

That’s what she always claims, but knowing MJ, it was probably premeditated.

“Okay—” I say, stepping away from Ivy to stop this conversation from going any further and give Willow any ideas. “Maybe it’s time for introductions.”

“Hayes and MJ, you know Ivy, and Lily. I think you met her because she’s working on the mural for you, right?”

Lily smiles at Ivy and nods. “Yeah, I can’t wait to see the end results.”

The happiness dims in Ivy’s eyes, but she keeps a smile on her face. She’s still worried about how the mural will turn out—about disappointing the people counting on her—but she doesn’t have to. She’s going to do great. There’s no doubt in my mind.

“Me neither,” I say, looking at Ivy. “Her paintings are my favorite.”

It’s my way of reminding her of all the paintings I’ve kept over the years. It must work because her eyes shine again when she looks at Lily. “I’m just glad you gave me the chance. And actually, Willow has been helping me with it, too. She’s very talented.”

All eyes turn to Willow, who shrugs. “It’s nothing.”

“Wait—” Silas, who has been uncharacteristically quiet, sucks the last drops of his milkshake and hands the cup to Hayes, who looks exasperated, like this is something that happens often. “You’re Willow?”

“Uh—yeah, last I checked.”

“Well, shoot,” he says, digging into the pink gift bag he’d been holding and pulling out a onesie. “I don’t think this is going to fit then.”

Hayes pinches the bridge of his nose and shakes his head. “Silas, I told you fifteen times that she wasn’t a baby.”

“Yeah,” Silas agrees with a solemn nod, “But sometimes I think you got brain damage from when MJ broke your nose, so I didn’t believe you.”

A roar of laughter rips from my chest, and tears pool in my eyes. This—this right here with all the people I love surrounding me—is the reason I have decided to fight for my life. If I had given into the darkness, I would have missed this.