Page 56 of Benny

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The summons for their company at Ivy Walker’s house that evening pinged their phones at noon.

They’d spent the morning enjoying their last few hours in the penthouse. It was unspoken that Benny would be going home with her. Dev had already sent a courier to the rental house to pick up their things and return the rental car, and everything would be delivered to Jordan’s within a few hours, so they packed up the little that they had, and left the high-rise lifestyle behind.

When Benny walked through the door of the apartment lugging Spot in her carrier, he hoped for a spark of something. He caught Jordan’s quick glance at him and knew she was hoping for the same thing.

Nothing came, but he wasn’t going to hurt her by cataloging everything he remembered or didn’t, so instead he released Spot and quickly glanced around his new home.

It was a cute older place, with a large, bright living area with comfortable furniture. The boxes from the courier arrived half an hour later, and they spent the time unpacking and setting up Benny’s art supplies in the second bedroom next to Jordan’s desk. It was all very homey. And somehow, even without the memories, it felt exactly right.

“So, this whole ‘we’re required to make an appearance at Ivy’s house’ thing,” Benny said. “What’s that all about?”

“Ivy’s a free spirit.” Jordan smiled. “With everything that’s happened, she’ll want us to have what amounts to a family meal, and her space is gorgeous.” She paused, thinking. “Warren and Harper are more private. His home is his solace, his quiet space. He does bonsai there, and it’s what he needs. Having all of us invade wouldn’t be optimal for either of them. Harper’s quiet like he is.”

“Tell me about them while we drive.”

Jordan grabbed two bottles of wine from a rack in the closet. They stopped to say goodbye to Spot, who was happily ensconced in her window perch, before walking to the car.

After they’d pulled onto the road, Jordan answered his request. “Like I said, Ivy’s a free spirit. She’s an artist, kind of like you.” Jordan smiled. “Hey, maybe she can help you put together a show since you need a new career.”

Huh. Benny hadn’t really thought about that, or even about a new career at all. He supposed he should start. “I’m probably not good enough to have a show, but I can certainly be SMS’s medic for the time being until I figure it all out. Especially with Cali still on active duty and at the base all the time.”

As they drove Jordan told him about Harper, the quiet author who wrote wildly popular romantasy novels and how the team had protected her when a stalker centered his attention on her.

“And then obviously there’s Beth and Tate.” Jordan smiled. “I have to tell you, Tate has exactly zero game when it comes to hiding his feelings for your sister. We all knew right away that he was a goner.”

She laughed, and Benny smiled along with her. Because despite his brotherly reservations about Tate and his sister being together on general principles, he had to admit they were clearly in love.

“I feel a little weird,” he admitted as they pulled into the driveway of Ivy’s bodega-turned-home-and-art-studio. “They know everything about me, and I know almost nothing about them.”

Jordan unbuckled her seat belt and turned toward him. “Here’s the thing. You were what brought us together as St. Michael’s Solutions. Your ‘death’ put Clay and Warren and Tate in the position to meet and then help their mates. You were really the impetus for all of us becoming a family.” She reached out and feathered her fingers over his cheekbone. “Now we finally get to have you as part of that family.”

Something tightened painfully in his chest.

All these people had been shaped by his absence, and now they were waiting for him on the other side of that door. Not the man he'd been what felt like a lifetime ago. The man he was now.

Benny leaned across the console and kissed Jordan, long and slow, her words settling somewhere deep inside him. He didn't remember becoming part of this family, but he was beginning to understand that he’d always belonged.

A rap on the window pulled them apart, and Benny looked up to see Tate grinning down at them.

“Dude, have a little decorum, okay? This is a family neighborhood.”

Laughing, Benny flipped him the bird.

Tate snickered and he and Beth walked away as Benny and Jordan climbed out of the car and headed inside.

The moment he stepped through the door, Benny understood what Jordan had meant about Ivy’s place. It was an explosion of light and color and personality.

And vibe. Definitely vibe.

Jordan had been right about Ivy too. She was a free spirit, and she was perfect for the quieter Clay, constantly drawing him out of his shell without seeming to try.

They ate Mexican food, drank, laughed and talked about absolutely nothing important, and Benny felt at home almost immediately.

Later, when Dev called it a night, Cali did the same, and they left together.

By then, the party had migrated to the rooftop deck. Benny and Jordan happened to be sitting on the street side, which gave them a perfect view of what unfolded below.