“Yeah, tomorrow,” I tell Miller.
Johnny nudges me to him, wrapping his arms around me from behind. He whispers into my ear, “I love you.”
I weave my fingers around his, pulling him tighter. I tilt my head up to him.
He brings his lips down to gently rest on mine in a brief, but completely heart-melting moment of bliss.
“Get a rooooom!” Josey calls out.
Johnny shoots him a death glare. “You’re just jealous you’re alone.”
Josey narrows his gaze. “Am not.”
“You two sound like children,” Miller adds.
Josey and Johnny both turn to Miller.
“Sound, maybe, but you look fourteen.” Josey nudges Miller teasingly in the shoulder.
And so it begins, the comradery between these three. An improbable bond that will form because of circumstances I never saw coming.
Rosie remains quiet, as if watching our situation play out as an outsider.
“I’d like to ask something.” I shift my gaze between them.
Miller perks up his brows, clearly the de facto one in charge here. “By all means.”
“Given my new position, am I allowed to hire anyone?”
Miller blinks at me, allowing the question to soak in. “Well, they’ll have to be vetted, considering our unique situation. I could imagine you would need the help. So, yes. Yes, you can.”
“What about Rosie?” I point to her, totally putting her on the spot but not caring.
She’s my best friend, the one person other than Johnny I trust completely. I don’t see anyone more perfect for the position than her. I’m not sure if she’s even willing, but she’s mentioned to me before about finding a side-gig, making this an opportune prospect for both of us.
“She has my full support,” Johnny confirms.
My heart swells with joy at having my two favorite people get along so well.
“And what are your thoughts about this?” Miller asks Rosie.
She glances at me briefly and focuses on him. “I—I’d love to help, whatever way I can.”
“Okay,” is all Miller says in response. A simple word, confirming so much.
I wasn’t confident either of them would be on board, but I had to at least try. Rosie is my own right-hand woman, and to have her at my side during this huge transition, it would be monumental.
Josey grips Rosie’s shoulder, “Welcome to the team.”
She glances up at him, careful not to tilt her head too much, and smiles. “Thanks.”
I think back to the three of us out west in that hospital room—me, Johnny, and Bram—and how none of us would have ever imaginedthiswould have resulted from our half-assed plan to fake Johnny’s death.
But the thing about fate is you never really know where it will take you until you’re there.
Because never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined bumping into a boy on my first day in a new town would lead me here.
My phone buzzes from its spot on the armrest of the chair across the room.