Chapter 61
SIXTY-ONE
SAVANNAH
I’m not sure why I was so worried about hanging out with everyone. Harley was right about me already being friends with Logan, Lana and Gracie, so everyone just fell into a normal conversation, and it hasn’t been weird with me here.
We’re all currently huddled around the kitchen table, three boxes of pizza between us as everyone digs in. Lana and Cole are bickering with each other, while Noah fusses over Gracie, and Logan scrolls through his phone.
But Harley? Harley hasn’t taken his eyes off me for more than a single second since he sat down opposite me.
I swallow down a mouthful of pizza and my shaky hand grabs my bottle of water.
I don’t know what’s wrong with me all of a sudden, but it’s like everything is hitting me at once.
Maybe this is what I could have had all along if I’d just allowed myself to open up and tell the truth.
Maybe I could have had friendships and people around me, and maybe I wouldn’t have spent years drowning in loneliness.
Or maybe I would have gotten them hurt, too.
And maybe I still will.
Maybe me being here right now isn’t a good idea, because my father seems to find out everything, and if he knew, then he’d just use them against me, like he did to Harley all those years ago.
Maybe I’m dooming the others, or maybe I’m so used to being alone that this is all just too overwhelming.
A warm hand settles on the back of my neck, and I blink, breaking from my thoughts. I turn to see Harley standing next to me, looking down at me with a frown on his face.
When did he get up, and how didn’t I notice?
A quick glance around the table tells me the others are still engaged in conversation and not paying us any attention. Everyone but Logan, who slides onto the empty stool to his left, letting Harley take his place next to me.
“What’s wrong?” he murmurs under his breath, and I shake my head, giving him a half smile.
“Just in my head a lot. Everything has been crazy lately, and I think I’m just overwhelmed.”
He studies me for a moment before nodding slowly, a quirk to his lips.
“You belong here. I know it’s probably daunting being around everyone when you’ve built things up so much in your head, but these are my friends as much as they’re yours.
Fuck, you’re closer to Logan and Lana than I am, and I live with them.
“Whatever it is you’re thinking, whatever it is you’re worrying about, it’s okay.
You’ll realize soon enough that everyone in this room is here for you if you need us, and you’ll realize I’m not going anywhere.
I know things have been moving quickly, and I know it’s hard to let go of the past, but we’ll get there, Sav. We’ll get there together.”
Harley removes his hand from the back of my neck and places it on my thigh instead, using his free hand to pick up a slice of pizza before taking a huge bite. He winks, and my thoughts finally begin to settle.
I turn to the others and join in their conversation, not letting my worries or thoughts of my father ruin the rest of my day.
And for the first time in forever, with Harley’s hand on me and laughter surrounding me, I feel like I belong.