After Gunner’s grandmother gave us a tour of the house and her garden, she showed Ari and me the bedroom we would be using. I was falling more and more in love with Emma. She had a tiny frame but it was clear that if you pissed her off, she could haul off and knock the shit out of you. She absolutely adored Gunner, and he adored her. The way he introduced her made me swoon, and I couldn’t help but fall for him even more.

When she whispered in my ear how happy she was that Gunner was finally in love, I almost passed out from pure shock.

“Ari, what did Emma whisper in your ear when Jeff introduced y’all?” I asked as Ari was unpacking her suitcase.

Ari started to laugh again and looked at me.

“She just said, ‘Stupid bastard will admit how he feels about you, don’t worry!’”

I lost it and started laughing. “Wow. Looks like Emma has some kind of superpower. She told me she was happy Gunner was finally in love.”

Ari dropped her flat iron on the floor and just stood there looking at me.

“What . . . What did she say? Did Gunner tell her he was in love with you? Oh. My. God! Has Gunner told you he loves you, and you didn’t tell me, you bitch?”

“Jesus, Ari, calm down! No, I’m pretty sure Gunner has not told her that, and no, he has not told me that. But . . .” I left Ari hanging as I got up and started to unpack my things.

“But? But what, Ells? Holy shit, don’t leave me hanging here!”

I looked at Ari and then jumped onto her bed. I’d been dying to tell her, but was afraid I had just taken it wrong.

“Okay, well, I’ve been dying to say something to you, but I thought it was just the alcohol and all of that. The night of Brad’s birthday party, when Gunner and Jeff got so drunk, I helped Gunner to bed, right?”

“Yes, yes . . . I know all of this. Fast forward, please.”

I laughed at Ari and shook my head. “Well, as he was falling asleep he might have said something like ‘I love you, Ellie.’ I don’t really remember exactly what he said because I was in shock.”

Ari sat there stunned. Her mouth slowly started to drop open as she just stared at me. I reached over and used my finger to shut her mouth, but it fell back open. I let out a giggle as she just kept staring at me.

“You trying to catch flies with that mouth open like that?”

“Holy shit. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Ellie. How . . . why in the fuck have you not told me this before now?”

I just shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t know. I guess because he was drunk and all. I mean, a lot of people say shit when they’re drunk that they don’t really mean. I guess I’ve just learned to ignore what drunks say because of my mother. He might have just been saying it because I was helping him to bed or something.”

“Or something! He might have been saying it because he actually does love you! What the fuck is wrong with you and your brother? You both can’t see what is in front of your faces. Drives me crazy, Ells.”

I let out a sigh. A part of me wanted to believe that Gunner was in love with me, but the other part . . . the other part that knew better.

You will never be wanted by anyone . . .

“Ari, listen, we’ve not even been together long enough for Gunner to fall in love with me. And for three weeks during that time, we were not even speaking to each other. It’s way too soon for him to be feeling anything like that for me. Way, way too soon.”

“Whatever, Ells, you may not notice it, but I see the way he has to catch his breath when you walk in a room. Or the way he can’t keep his eyes off you for a single minute. The way he smiles at you even makes my ass swoon. I don’t care what you say, Ellie Johnson. Drew Mathews loves you.”

I tried to give Ari a smile. I really wished I could believe her, but something was holding me back.

The rest of the day was spent helping Emma cook dinner. We learned how to make chicken and dumplings and found out Emma’s super-secret apple pie recipe. I was in awe of Emma. She was everything I would have ever wanted in a mother. I was falling in love with her as each minute passed.

Ari never ceased to amaze me. I sat there and watched her as she moved around this country kitchen like she grew up here! The way she interacted with Emma like she was Emma’s granddaughter and had known her for her whole life. A part of me was envious that Ari got to have such a normal childhood growing up. A mom, dad, grandparents, the whole thing, and all I got was a drunken mother who told me every chance she got how worthless I was.

You will never be wanted by anyone . . .

I must have been lost in thought because I never even saw Emma walk over. She cupped my face with her hands and looked deep into my eyes, and for some reason my eyes started to tear up. What the hell? She really did have magic powers!

“Ellie, let go of the past, sweetheart. Just let it fall away from you, and look at what you have surrounding you right now. Look at the people who love you and want you to be happy.”

I felt the tears running down my face. What the fuck? I never cry in front of people. I looked over at Ari, who was watching me. She had flour on her cheek right under her eye and I just started to laugh when I saw it. Emma took me in her arms and held me. I had never so felt loved as I did in that moment. Could Ari be right? Could someone love you this much and this fast? I completely lost it and started sobbing.

“Oh my gosh, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m so sorry,” I said as Emma held me close to her and stroked my hair.

“Shhh, baby girl.” Emma turned and had Ari walk over to us. Ari knelt down and looked at me.

“I told you, Ells . . . I told you.”

Just then the door opened to the kitchen, and I lifted my head to see Gunner walk in. His smile quickly faded and he looked like someone had punched him in the gut. I instantly felt like a stupid idiot.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” Gunner said as he walked up and dropped to his knees at my side. Emma let me go and smiled down at Gunner. She took a step back and looked at me with a smile that made my heart melt.

“Nothing is wrong, Drew. Ellie just needed a good cry, that’s all. I think tonight would be the perfect night for your surprise for Ellie,” Emma said as Gunner looked up at her and she gave him a wink.

What did Gunner have planned? My heart started to beat faster. I looked over and just stared into his beautiful blue eyes. They looked . . . bluer for some reason. They had a spark in them I’d never noticed before.

“Your eyes, Gunner. They’re so . . . blue.”

Gunner smiled at me, and for a second time in two minutes, my heart melted. He had Emma’s crooked smile. He reached up and wiped the tears from my eyes.

“My beautiful Ellie, please don’t cry.”

Just then something inside my chest hurt, but in a good way. I threw my arms around his neck and he wrapped his arms around me and held me close. The warmth from his touch spread through my whole body all at once.

“My beautiful, beautiful girl. I hate to see you cry, it cuts me to the bone. I just want you to be happy, baby.”

Oh. My. God. I think I just gave up my heart and soul to Drew Mathews.

I think . . .

I think I was in love with him.

I pulled away from him, and he cupped my face with his hands and kissed me so passionately that my head started to spin. I forgot all about Emma and Ari being in the same room and I returned his kiss. I kissed him with everything I had been holding back. The feel of Gunner’s mouth on mine, his tongue dancing perfectly with mine, I wanted to cry again. He slowly pulled away and leaned his forehead against mine. We both took a few seconds to catch our breath.

“I want to show you what the stars look like at night, Ellie, just you and me. Tonight, if you’re up for it, sweetheart? I want to give you another first,” Gunner said as he looked into my eyes.

I smiled at him because he had remembered our conversation from before. “I’d like nothing more than to do that.” Just then, I remembered Emma and Ari. I felt my face get hot as I looked up.

“They left before I kissed you, sweetheart,” Gunner said with a wicked smile as I shook my head at him.

“Come on, I need to wash up before dinner.”

Jefferson and Garrett walked in just then, laughing their asses off. Gunner jumped up and took my hand.

Gunner’s grandfather took one look at me and then snapped his head over to Gunner.

“What the hell did you do to her, Drew? She’s been crying!” Garrett yelled.

Emma walked into the kitchen with Ari, laughing about something.

“Oh, hush now, you old goat. Drew did nothing to her and everything is fine. The girls helped with dinner, so go wash up, and don’t think I don’t smell that beer on you!”

Everyone laughed, and Garrett walked up and kissed Emma with such passion I had to look away. Gunner squeezed my hand and looked down at me as I looked up at him. I didn’t dare tell him my hand still kind of hurt from when I hit Ryan over a month ago.

Just then I saw Jefferson walk up to Ari, who was leaning against the counter smiling at the display of affection from Garrett and Emma. I watched him as he gently wiped the flour off Ari’s face.

“You, um, you had some flour on your face there,” Jeff said as he smiled at her and then turned and walked away. As soon as he walked out of the kitchen, Ari reached to her side and grabbed the counter. Her face was as red as the dishtowel that was slung over her shoulder. She looked up at me, and I smiled. I was going to have to have a talk with that brother of mine.