Page 131 of Carter

“Guess we will see.”

“Have you met him before?”

“No.” He shakes his head. “I’ve seen photos and heard him on the phone, but he’s always kind of doing his own thing. I think this will be good for him.”

“I think it’ll be good for all of us,” I say.

“Uncle Miles, come look at this!” Noah runs into the room, grabs Miles’ hand, and basically drags him into the room across the hall. I already know what he’s excited about.MaybeNash and I heard that he likes firetrucks andmaybeNash and I bought him a giant firetruck Lego set that is well above his age range—but he has all these adults here to help him build it. The only problem will be getting it home, but we’ll figure it out.

“Holy crap!” Miles shouts, sticking his head out. “How are we going to do this? That thing is huge. There’s like a million pieces.”

I laugh, holding my hands up. “Blame Nash.”

Once everyone is settled in their rooms, we make our way downstairs to help finish setting up everything outside. Hollis should have been here by now, and I’m worried now that he won’t show. I don’t know how it’ll affect Nash. If he’ll be upset or just accept it. Apparently, neither him nor Jericho have seen Hollis in years. Hollis prefers to keep his own life, do his own thing, and I think that’s the trauma talking. Seeing his brothers is probably a trigger and that sucks, but he’s doing his best over there. Just like Jericho and Nash are doing theirs.

Around three, the doorbell rings, but I know it isn’t Hollis. We invited Heather, Anthony, Ryan, and Teddy over to this cookout because they’re family now too. Nash spent days building a path for Ryan to get to the back in his wheelchair. He likes to help with the garden, especially the pumpkins.

Teddy wags her tail and jumps up on me, so I lean down to pet her. She kisses my face and I laugh, trying to tame her. But this girl has come out of her shell, and there is no calming her around familiar people these days.

“Everyone is out back,” I tell Heather.

“Anthony is already bringing Ryan around.”

She comes into the house and we walk through to go out the sliding glass door. She goes into the yard with everyone else, and I stand in the doorway and look out at all the people in our home—my heart swells because I can’t believe I finally have this.

Everything is good right now. Everything.

Jason Mercer is in jail on multiple charges, including shooting Nash and killing Ryan, since the woman testified against him. Nash has tried getting in touch with her, but apparently her and her husband moved right after the trial. Sometimes I think of her and wonder if she's okay.

The man Mercer shot right before Nash survived and is all healed, living his life. Nash checks in with him every now and then to make sure he’s doing okay.

Nash is back at work with no lasting effects from the gunshot, except for some aches here and there. He’s still working cold cases, still closing them left and right like he was made for it. I think he was.

I’m still working through some things, and some days are harder than others. I still go to group. Nash comes with me sometimes. I still work at the library. I still do things to stay close to Ryan because I am convinced he’s the reason I am who I am today and why I have Nash.

Nash says I don’t give myself enough credit for doing it myself, but maybe I’m not ready for that yet. I’m not ready to take that on, so it’s easier to let Ryan carry that for me. And honestly, I don’t think he’d mind. I think he’d truly be happy for me, for what I have.

I think he and Nash would have loved each other, and maybe in another life, we’re all friends or something. I don’t know. The whole thing can be a bit strange to think about, and most people don’t understand, but they don’t have to. It’s my life, and I’mbeyond happy with how things are going. Nash and I understand what we have, and that is all that matters to me.

I step onto the deck, gripping the handle to shut the sliding door, when I hear the doorbell. Hope fills my chest that it’s finally Hollis and not a package delivery.

Standing on the other side is another man who looks exactly like Jericho and Nash, but younger, a little too skinny and pale, maybe an inch or two taller than both of them, but there’s no way this isn’t their brother.

“Hollis,” I say with a smile. “I’m so glad you could make it.”

“Sorry, my flight was late and my phone died. I forgot my charger and I didn’t have money to buy one and—”

“Hey, it’s okay. Relax. No one is mad. Maybe a little worried, but you’re here now.”

He blows out a sigh of relief, his shoulders sagging. I hold out my hand.

“I’m Carter, Nash’s boyfriend.”

“Yeah, I know by the photos.” He shakes my hand, giving me a tired smile.

“Come on. Everyone else is out back. I hope you’re hungry.”

“Starving. I have never been on a plane before, but I could have sworn they served food.”