CHAPTER1
DAYNA
“Mom, Dad, it’s me.”I slipped into the hallway, stuffing the key into my pocket, bags hanging off my arm.
“Dayna, is that you?” Dad’s gruff voice carried through the house, hitting me right in the heart. I inhaled deeply, letting the smell of familiarity fill my lungs.
I was home.
Home.
“A little help,” I called, moving further into the hallway.
“I could have gotten those,” Josh grumbled behind me, and I rolled my eyes, gripping the handles a little tighter. Of course, he could have gotten them. But there was no use in offering once he’d watched me struggle all the way from the car to the house.
“Judy, get in here. Dayna’s home.”
“Already? She wasn’t due for another hour.”
A huge smile cracked over my face. It was typical of Mom to question the truth. Hell, she’d question the truth if it turned up wearing an ‘I’m the truth shirt’ and swore to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth with one hand placed firmly on the Bible.
“Just get in here already.”
“Where should I put this?” Josh’s voice pulled me from the emotion swelling in my chest, and I groaned, “By the stairs,” when really, I wanted to tell him to stuff his one bag where the sun didn’t shine.
“There she is, my Dayna Bug. Get in here and give your old man a hug.”
“Dad,” I shrieked, launching myself at him. “God, I’ve missed you.” My arms slipped around his back, and he squeezed me so tight it hurt.
“Not as much as me, Bug, not as much as me.”
“Is she here? Where is she?” Mom’s voice sounded a little choked as she appeared in the hallway, peeling grass-stained gloves off her hands.
I peeked out from Dad’s chest.
“Oh, thank the Lord, there you are.” She wrapped her arms around Dad and me, and the three of us stood there hugging the crap out of each other until someone behind me cleared their throat.
“Hi, I’m Josh.”
Mom squeezed me tight once more before releasing me, but I had to shirk out of Dad’s hold, beaming up at him before turning to my boyfriend. “Mom, Dad, this is Josh. Josh, my parents, Judy and Derek Benson.”
Josh stuck his hand out and said, “So nice to finally meet you both.”
I didn’t miss his emphasis on the word ‘finally.’
Dad thrust his hand against Josh’s, and they shook hands for a little longer than seemed appropriate. When it reached cringe-worthy proportions, I stepped between the two of them.
“Uh, Dad, I think you can give Josh his hand back now,” I laughed, trying to ease the tension that had descended, telling myself this was completely normal. He was the first boyfriend I’d ever brought home—my first boyfriend, period. Dad was bound to be a little overprotective.
“Come on, let’s get you both settled.” Mom started doing her thing. “I made brownies. Just how you like them, Bug.”
Josh caught my eye and mouthed ‘bug’ at me, but I shook my head. I wasn’t going there, not now. Not when I was so overwhelmed to be home.
“Did you have a good journey?” Dad asked, pulling out a chair for me, leaving Josh to fend for himself.
“It was okay. I drove to Syracuse, and then Josh did the rest. Took us about eleven hours in total.” My muscles ached, my ass was numb, and I wanted to sleep for a week, but that was to be expected, just like the frown crinkling his eyes.
“You drove all that way?”