Chapter 32
Asmile tugged at Addie’s mouth as she watched her father across Pam’s backyard, talking to Noah.
As expected, both her parents had shown up the next day, a couple hours after she’d called them.
They hadn’t stayed in town that time, but they’d been making the one-hour drive down to Amber Ridge as often as possible since.
She loved it. Having her parents here was like bringing everyone she loved together.
She nervously checked her watch.
“Not here yet?”
Her gaze flew up at her mother’s voice. “Not yet, but she’s only ten minutes late.”
“I’m nervous too.”
Not a surprise that her mother could tell she was nervous. She knew her better than anyone. “We’ve both already met her. We shouldn’t be nervous.”
Her mother shook her head. “No. This is different. She’s not my daughter’s coworker anymore—she’s the woman who gave me the gift of my child. I have a lot to thank her for.”
Addie’s skin tingled. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to the fact that Jules was her birth mother. “I’m sure she wants to thank you too, for giving me the best upbringing.”
“I hope we did.”
Addie hugged her mother tightly, so unbelievably grateful that she’d been gifted such amazing parents.
“Hey, why aren’t I included in this family hug? What am I, chopped liver?”
Addie laughed at her father, pulling back to see him now beside them.
Her mother jokingly swatted her father on the arm. “Mark, you get far more hugs from our daughter than I do.”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t have more.”
Addie hugged her dad. “I love you too, Dad.”
He grunted but also wrapped a firm arm around her waist.
God, she loved both of them so much.
When she stepped back, her mother touched her shoulder. “Are you sure you’re okay? You’ve been through so much since moving here.”
“I have.” She scanned the yard for Noah, finding him with his aunt and sister. “But I’ve also gained so much too.” Noah. His family. Jules. A great job. An entire life.
Her father glanced over his shoulder before looking back at her. “He makes you happy.”
“No. It goes far beyond happy.” It was a combination of peace and joy and this new vision for her future.
Her father nodded. “He’s a good man. I approve.”
She chuckled, knowing that would have taken a lot for her father to say. “Really? I thought no one would ever be good enough for me.”
“They won’t be. But he’s probably as close as you’ll get.”
She grinned at him.
“All we’ve ever wanted is for you to be happy, darling,” her mother said quietly.
“I’m so lucky to have you both.”
“No, we’re the lucky ones.” Her mother squeezed her hand.
When her phone vibrated with a text, she looked down.
Jules: Hi, honey. I’m at the front door.
Addie glanced up, not sure why she was so nervous for Jules to meet her parents again. “Jules is here.”
Her mother nodded. “We’ll wait here.”
Addie cut across the yard and hurried through the house. When she opened the door, her pulse sped up. She’d only seen Jules once since finding out she was her birth mother, and she’d been nervous as heck that time too.
Jules had shared so much during that visit. The heartache of giving up her only child for adoption. The long road to stabilizing her mental health.
Jules’s lips curved. “Hi, Addie.” She lifted the tray in her hands. “I made chocolate chip cookies.”
Addie chuckled. “Jules, you know I’m going to have to try one of them before the main meal.”
“I won’t tell anyone.” She stepped inside. “How have you been?”
“Good. Great, actually. Noah’s really been looking after me. And my parents have made the drive here a few times. It’s been nice. It’s also nice to feel safe again. How are you?”
Jules had trusted Toby. Not just trusted—he’d been like family to her.
She frowned. “The shock is still there. It will probably be there for a while. I knew him for eighteen months, and he seemed so genuine. He always said exactly what I needed to hear. He was my only friend for a long time. I never would have suspected that his motives were anything but genuine. But I’m trying to forgive myself for bringing him into your life. ”
“Jules, there’s nothing to forgive. He knew how to deceive you because he’d done it before.”
Jesse’s team had done a lot of digging and learned that Toby had inherited huge sums of money from three different patients. Three. The man had been a skilled con artist.
“Still, I hate that he tried to hurt you,” Jules said quietly.
“He hurt you too. And I’m glad he’s gone.”
They were about to step out the back door when Jules touched her arm. “Wait, before we go out there, I want to say something.”
“Anything.”
“I don’t want you ever to feel like you have to have me in your life. If you ever want me to leave Amber Ridge—”
“Jules. I may not have looked for you, but I’m glad you found me. I am so grateful that you chose the best parents for me. You gave me a gift, and I have lived the happiest life. I want to get to know the woman who gave me that life.”
Tears gathered in Jules’s eyes, then she wrapped Addie in a hug. “Oh, that makes me happy.”
When they separated, Jules scrubbed her eyes and headed into the yard. Addie watched her parents walk straight up to the woman and embrace her. For a moment, Addie didn’t move. She just watched as the woman who’d given her life hugged the parents who’d raised her.
She blinked back her own tears before shifting her gaze and finding Noah across the lawn. He was already looking at her, his eyes dark and intense. Then he started toward her. Her heart beat a little faster with each step he took. Because she loved him. He’d become her safety. He’d become home.
Noah watched as Addie embraced her parents. The old strain around her eyes was gone. The visible tension in her muscles. All because the asshole who’d been gunning for her was gone.
When she started toward the back door, he was about to follow her when a hand touched his shoulder.
“You look happy.”
Noah dragged his gaze from Addie to Jesse, and Holden and Becket on either side of him.
He dipped his head. “There’s a lot to be happy about. Addie’s safe. She has Jules in her life. And she and I are good.” Good? That didn’t even begin to describe how they were. The woman was his entire world.
“That’s great.” Jesse clenched his shoulder.
“And did I hear you’re reopening the park?” Holden asked.
“In two weeks. We just have to train the new staff.” They’d found some great people to work for them. People with more experience, who’d be a hell of a lot better than Rhett and Cass.
“How are Addie and Jules doing?” Becket asked.
“Really great, actually. Addie still wishes she’d known the truth from the beginning, but she’s happy Jules found her.” And Jules had actually apologized to Noah for not trusting him, and he apologized to her for doing the same.
“You trust her?” Jesse asked.
“I trust that she came here to get to know Addie, and her only crime was trusting that con-artist therapist.” No part of Noah felt bad that Toby was dead. The asshole had killed Rhett, stabbed the deputy, and had intended to kill Addie.
Becket frowned at him. “I know I don’t ask enough, but have you heard anything from Bonnie?”
Noah’s fingers tightened around his beer. “I’ve tried her a few times this week but haven’t gotten through. I’ll try again later today.”
“It’s good you’re back in contact,” Jesse said. “After a thirteen-year absence, I wasn’t sure we’d ever hear from her again.”
“I wondered too. I know people are angry that she left. Indie really struggles with it. And I get it—her leaving hurt everyone, particularly because of her timing. But I forgive her for leaving, and I need her to know that she’s always got a home here in Amber Ridge.”
Becket nodded. “Agreed. She may be a cousin, but she’s more like a sister.”
Exactly why Bonnie should come home. Despite what she may think, she was loved here.
When Jules stepped into the yard, Noah’s gaze shifted to see Addie standing by the back door, watching all three of her parents embrace. There was a hint of tears in her eyes.
He was moving before he could stop himself. Crossing the yard and jogging up the steps so he could pull Addie into his arms. “Hey.”
Her smile softened as she splayed her fingers over his chest. “Hey. I missed you.”
She had no idea. Even the smallest distance felt too much ever since Cass had taken her. “Everything okay with Jules?”
“Yeah, it is. I’m so glad she found me.” Her smile widened. “A bit like you.”
“Technically, you found me when you applied for the job at the park.”
“Thank God I lied about having rock-climbing experience.”
“You know I saw right through that lie, right?”
She shook her head. “I don’t think you did. I think I was pretty good at pretending. Why else would you have hired me?”
“I can think of a few reasons.”
“Really?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“You don’t think I’m too young for you anymore?”
“Do you think I’m too old?”
“Nah, I’m so wise, people wouldn’t even realize there’s an age gap.”
He laughed.
The smile on her lips grew serious. “Your sessions with Dr. Burton still going well?”
“The man’s a miracle worker. The work he’s done has changed everything for me.”
Addie cupped his cheek. “No. You’ve done the work. It’s all you.”
“God, I love you, Addison.”
“I’ve loved you since the day I interviewed for that job.”
His eyes darkened, and he lowered his head and kissed her. He didn’t care who was watching. He just needed to feel this woman against him and get lost in her.
The sudden ringing of Noah’s phone made him want to growl and ignore it. He didn’t because, if it was who he thought it was, he couldn’t miss her again.
He looked at the phone screen.
Bonnie. Finally.
Addie glanced at the cell before stepping back. “Talk to her.”
He lowered his head and kissed her one more time. “I’ll be back.”
He moved into his aunt’s living room and took the call. “Hey, Bon-Bon.”
“You answered.”
“Yeah, sorry, it’s been a crazy couple of weeks.”
“Is everything okay?”
“It is now.” He shoved his other hand into his pocket, not wanting to go into everything, because he wanted to find out how Bonnie was doing. “How have you been?”
There was a small pause. “Actually, I did something.”
Noah frowned, his fingers tightening around the phone. “What? Is something wrong?”
Silence stretched over the line, making anxiety pool in Noah’s gut.
“Bonnie, you’re scaring me.”
“I’m in Amber Ridge.”
Another entire ten seconds of silence passed, where Noah had to repeat the words in his head to make them make sense. But even when he did, the shock ensured he didn’t have words. Not a single one.
“You’re here?” he finally choked out.
“I applied for that job at the women’s shelter. I didn’t think I’d get it but…I did. Although, now that I’m here, I’m not sure if I made the right decision. I feel nervous and sick. Have I made a mistake?”
His sister was home. After thirteen years away, she was finally here. “You didn’t make a mistake, Bonnie. You’re exactly where you’re meant to be.”
“I’ve been gone for so long. So many people are angry at me. I don’t know how to build a life here. I should have thought about that before taking the job.”
“You’re here. That’s the first step.”
There was another pause. “I know you’ve been great to me, and I’m so grateful for that. But…what if she doesn’t forgive me?”
Bonnie didn’t need to say the name for him to know she was talking about Indie. “There’s only one way to find out.”
“And then there’s the White family.”
His chest tightened. “Dean’s death was not your fault. He was eighteen, and he made his own choices that night.”
“I left him at the party.”
“He chose to drink. Then he chose to get behind the wheel.”
“But his family—”
“Were hurting. It’s been thirteen years. They should see things clearly by now.” Or at least, he really fucking hoped they did. “Where are you staying?”
“I’m renting a place.”
“Where? I’ll come see you.”
“I’ll text you the address.”
He nodded, even though Bonnie couldn’t see him.
Footsteps sounded behind him. “Good. This is good, Bonnie. I’ll see you soon.”
“Yeah. And Noah…thank you.”
“For what?”
“Not giving up on me. Seeing past my mistakes.”
“You’ll always be my little sister.”
He hung up and turned to see Indie a few feet behind him, a deep frown on her face. “That was Bonnie?”
“Yeah.”
Another step forward. “You said you’d see her soon. Are you going to visit her?”
“Actually, she’s here.”
Indie blinked, then her eyes flared. “Here? As in, she’s in Amber Ridge?”
“Yeah. Bonnie’s come home.”