52 | Jessica, three days later.
Jessica, three days later...
We had to stop a couple of times during the three-day drive.
And at every stop, we had more conversations.
More explanations of the reasons they left me behind.
Things were said. Tears were shed. But in the end, we all realized the same thing.
We have always belonged together. Even before we met.
You can’t blame fate for bringing us together when it’s clear that was how it was meant to be all along.
When we arrive at our destination, it’s morning again. We drove for the majority of the night while I slept against Liam’s body in the back of the van. The men took turns keeping me company after every stop, each of them offering a different type of comfort.
Liam’s soft touch and kind words carried me to sleep at night. Mike’s witty remarks made me laugh during the day, and in between, Nathan’s stories from childhood trips he took with his family filled my imagination with all sorts of images.
They told me that over the last few months, they have fully settled back into their hometown.
And that is where we were heading when they said we needed a three-day drive.
I will admit it felt special—the fact that these men decided to bring me here.
Even if it took too long for them to realize they should have done it all along.
The fact that they are choosing to share this part of their lives—the one tied to their origin story, the town that shaped them into the men they are today—warms my heart.
It makes me feel wanted again. It’s that feeling I missed so much while they were gone.
Once we are fully parked, my men exit the vehicle first, and I take a moment before I decide to step out myself.
Liam extends his hand carefully, helping me out of the van.
My boots sink into the grass surrounding a big yard, and my eyes fall on the house in front of me.
It’s huge. I can see that the yard extends around it, and my eyes catch a glimpse of a pool on the side of the house. More land extends on the other side.
The house looks like it popped out of my wildest dreams. Big windows span across its walls, the paint looks fresh, and a lady opens the door wearing some type of uniform.
I suppose she is some sort of maid for the guys.
I stop myself from laughing. Do people still force their house staff to wear uniforms?
I feel like I have entered an alternate reality—one where everything I once knew is far behind, and this new life is unfolding in front of me.
Behind the woman, I see a glimpse of fur as Dog runs out the door and greets me. I kneel to the ground, petting his soft fur and scratching behind his ear.
“I missed you too, buddy,” I tell him in a soft voice, as if I am speaking to a toddler instead of a dog.
My eyes drift from one man to the other, observing them as I continue petting the dog.
Nathan is talking to the woman, and Liam is carrying my bags inside.
Their own things were shipped from their house in New York two days ago.
I listened to Nate when he was arranging the transportation on the phone during the first night at one of our stops.
I stay still in the same spot, not knowing what to do—feeling a little out of place, but at the same time like I belong here.
It’s a weird feeling I can’t fully explain.
The door of the van has closed behind me, and Mike is standing just a few steps back.
He isn’t talking. He simply stays there waiting.
As if he knows. As if he can sense my struggle to adjust. I wonder if he felt the same when he first came to live here.
All three of them shared their stories during the trip.
They told me about their families, the fire, the accident.
Everything. They told me how the game started, and how it’s no longer how they live their lives.
They told me about every secret that could be their doom, finally allowing me into their lives for good.
And now? What happens now?
Everything that was keeping us apart no longer exists. The secrets. The fear. The lies. All vanished in those three days.
I don’t know what to do; I don’t feel like I belong here, even if part of me feels like I do.
Mike steps closer. He brings his lips to my ear and whispers, “Welcome home, Jess.”
He smiles. It’s a genuine smile that I haven’t seen on him before. I watch him as he walks toward the guys. Dog leaves me and runs to Liam as they all walk inside, and in this moment, I finally understand.
This is home.