Chapter 32

CHAPTER 32

BECCA

"Thank you so much for what you did when I needed you," I tell Stephanie as the two of us continue to pack up the apartment. "I'll never know how to repay you."

"You don't have to," she shakes her head. "Beckett needs a place to stay. He's starting his job in a week, and who knows how long he'll be here. It's not forever."

"Hopefully, the two of you will get along."

She gives me a wink. "We've been FaceTiming so that we know a little bit about each other. He's hot," she says with a giggle.

"I know. The other day when I was with Madden, he FaceTimed, and I was like he's a cutie, Steph is going to have a great time with him. He seems like your kind of guy, too, in everything I've heard."

"Yeah," Stephanie tsks, pursing her lips. "I think we'll have fun together."

"Is this the last of the boxes?" Madden questions as he enters the living room.

I point over to the small pile that's left. "Those are it, and this is the last one we're packing up. I'll bring it down in a few minutes. I wanna talk to Steph for a second. Is Mick okay down there?"

"Yeah, he's riding over to get some dipped chicken with Chief Harrison and Caleb. If I'm not careful, he's going to like Caleb more than me." He rolls his eyes. "But I'll be down there when you're ready to go."

"Okay, thank you." I blow him a kiss.

Stephanie finishes packing the last box and then sits back on her heels. I sigh, pushing back tears that are threatening to spill over. We stare at one another, and then stand together, throwing our arms around each other.

"I'm gonna miss you." She cries, holding onto my neck tightly.

"I'm gonna miss you, too. It's not like we'll never see each other." I cry, hugging her. "We're still going to live here, and this place is small."

"I know, but I got used to y'all being here. It's going to be weird coming home with no one here, and Mick's toys not lying around."

We pull back, and I wipe underneath my eyes. "I will never forget how you didn't think twice when I called you to tell you I had Mick and I couldn't afford my apartment. You didn't hesitate. Within two days you had us moved in here, and I can never thank you enough for that."

She blows out a watery breath. " You would've done the same for me. We've only had each other since we got old enough to be on our own. I love you, and there was no way I'd let you do this on your own. I'm still here, too." She pulls back, wiping her nose. "If you ever need me, no matter what time of the day, night, what the fuck ever, I am here. I hope you know that."

"I do." I nod, wiping my face with the back of my hand. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Now get out of here before I sob harder, and my face gets red." She pushes me toward the door. "You have a new house to go get together with your hot boyfriend."

Madden just closed on a new house that we found out of the blue. It's a fixer upper, and we're going to have fun making it ours, but until it's ready, we'll be staying at the rental. There will still be a lot of work, combining two households, his and mine. "See you, I'll be calling you soon, bitching about something he's doing that I don't like, I'm sure."

She snorts. "He probably doesn't separate his clothes by color. That's going to send you over the edge."

I laugh, wrinkling my nose, because she's right. "Well, nobody can be perfect." I shrug.

Bending down I pick up the last box, and then turn around in a circle. This has been the home I needed, and it's allowed me to grow into the person I am now. I entered this place terrified, and I'm leaving it a completely different person. One who is confident in who she is, and ready to take on whatever comes her way, as long as Madden is by my side.

With one last look, I leave, and don't look back. If there's one thing I've learned, it's looking back is never worth it. I take the stairs one at a time, and eventually, get to where Madden is waiting for me. His back is against the truck, and his arms are crossed over his chest. When he sees me, he pushes off the truck, and opens those arms of his for the box I'm carrying.

"Are you okay?" He asks, as he takes it out of my hands.

"Yeah." I sigh, my chest feeling less constricted than it has in months. "It's just hard saying goodbye to the place that accepted me when it felt like no one else would."

"I get it." He stows the last box, and then comes around to the passenger side, opening the door for me. With a hand on my back, he helps me into the seat, and then steps on the running board so that he's standing above me. "I'm happy that you're coming home with me, Bec. The first time I saw you in the dispatch office, I wondered what it would be like to see you smile."

Because he's said the word, I immediately do it.

"I'm lucky. I've gotten to see it a lot over the past few months, but I've seen other things, too. The tears, the worry, frustration, and that look you get on your face right after you come." He leans in, pressing his nose to mine. "I hope to see that one a lot more, but more than anything, I'm looking forward to doing life with you. Having the family that I always wanted, and the experience of a stable home."

"Me too." I hook my arms around his neck and pull him down into a kiss. He gives it to me, everything I demand of him.

When we separate, he speaks softly. "You ready to go home, Bec?"

Home. The best word I've ever heard, besides mine.

I nod, my stomach fluttering with excitement. "Let's go."