Page 107 of Pretty Little Scars

“That’s fuckingawesome,” Alex says, kicking her feet. “Hell yes. It’s about time someone saw you for the fuckingbadasswoman that you are.”

“I really failed in the wholedon’t swear so muchcategory with you, didn’t I?”

“Dani has a clean enough mouth for all of us,” Alex says, shrugging my statement off. “I have to use her swear words, too, just to keep the world in balance.”

“Just not in front of your niece and nephew, please,” Dani says. “You almost slipped up last week when you called your boss a witch.”

“But Icaught myself,” Alex reminds her and then turns back to me. “I’m happy for you. I hope it works out with Tucker and you have forty kids out on that ranch, just don’t make me come help with the animals.”

I know she’s trying to be funny, but I also know that asking Alex to help with animals would only traumatize her.

She tries to hide it behind being funny, but I know the truth, and it always tears me apart inside.

“Who said anything about kids?”

No one answers me. Charlie dives right in with “If you get married, I get to plan the wedding. Oh, I bet there’s a gorgeous spot out on the Hendrix Ranch for it.”

“I’m not getting married.”

I never thought I wanted marriage and children. But I’d never met Tucker before, and now I’m not so sure.

“I want to know what you love about him,” Dani puts in. “In all seriousness. Because sure, it’s fun to tease you a bit and be silly, but I see in your eyes that this is different, and I want to know why.”

Dani was always the most observant one. The one that asks questions.

“He bought me a greenhouse and built huge planters to grow things, just because I said that I would like them.”

I bite my lip because I’m suddenly swamped with emotions.

“He doesn’t think that it’s weird that I make salves and lotions.”

“It’snotweird,” Charlie insists.

“And he’s seen every scar on my body, and I told him everything that happened, and he didn’t even flinch. Sure, he was pissedforme, but he didn’t run away. And he’s so fucking patient. The man is the most laid-back, easygoing person I’ve ever met in my life. He came into Kay’s Diner every Tuesday for a wholeyearfor lunch because he wanted to see me, and it wasn’t until the week after I quit that he’d gotten up the nerve to ask me out. But I was already gone.”

“Holy shit, that might be the saddest thing I’ve ever heard,” Alex murmurs.

“And it’s all my fault because you started helping me with weddings,” Charlie adds, nibbling on her lower lip. “I’m so sorry.”

“I wasn’t ready for him then.” I shake my head. “I was still figuring so much out. It was the right person at the wrong time, you know? But I found him again, and I’m only supposed to be at the ranch for a year, but I don’t think that I’m going to want to leave.”

“You can’t leave,” Dani says and wipes a tear from her eye. “You found your person. You can’t leave him after a year.”

“I’m so happy for you,” Charlie says, and even Alex has lost that sparkle that tells me she’s going to tease me. “You deserve nothing but the most happiness, the best man. Thebestsex. You sacrificed so much for us, and I know that you think we don’t know, but we do. We saw it all, Darby.”

Stunned, I look between them, and they all nod in confirmation, and I want to weep. I want to ball up somewhere and sob because I didn’t shield them from everything like I thought I did. Ineverwanted them to see everything that went on in our house.

“If he ever tries to hurt you, we’ll kill him,” Alex says softly. “And that’s not a funny threat. That’s the truth. Because if there’s anyone in this world that should never be hurt again, it’s you. So, you enjoy that man. You enjoy every damn minute with him, for as long as you want him, whether that’s for a year or for the rest of your life. Soak in every good thing.”

“I love you guys so much.”

“We love you too,” Dani says, leaning her head on my shoulder.

“But just to be clear, the sex isreallygood, right?” Alex asks.

“It might break world records,” I finally reply, and the three of them cackle away, slapping the table and kicking their feet.

“That’s what I’m talking about,” Charlie says.