“First, I want to thank you for dinner,” she said. “Reese, I’ll be the first to admit I was not thrilled about this reunion.”
“Probably not even the second,” Rich joked.
“I am happy to say you’ve proved me wrong. You’ve shown me I was wrong to doubt you. I should have trusted Thea’s judgment. She’s never led me astray before. Thea, you are my best friend. My sister. An amazing aunt.”
“An amazing daughter,” Clay added.
“An amazing girlfriend,” I chimed in.
“You guys are making me blush,” she teased.
“An amazing cook,” Lucas added with a laugh.
“All of those things,” Ally said. “I know you say it isn’t a big deal, but for me, it is. You saved my son’s life. What you guys went through that night was incredible. I’m so glad it was you and not me, because I honestly don’t know if I could have done what you did.”
Thea grabbed a napkin and dabbed at her eyes. “Stop, you’re embarrassing me.”
“I love you,” Ally said. “I’m so happy for you. I am glad you finally got this guy to see your worth. He’s a little slow on the uptake.”
“I’ll admit, I am,” I said. “I wish someone would have given me a swift kick in the butt a long time ago.”
“I offered,” Rich teased. “I still don’t mind doing it. Bend over.”
“I hope you are happy,” Ally said. “I mean that truthfully. You two deserve this. The dogs deserve a big home like this. So, Reese, thank you for taking care of my friend. I’ve seen how much you love her, and I now feel like I can rest easy knowing she’s in your care.”
If she didn’t stop, I was going to need a tissue. “Thank you for trusting me with her.”
Clay was not immune to the emotional words. “Everything she said,” Clay said. “I look forward to welcoming you back into the fold.”
We held up our beers and toasted. The dinner wasn’t supposed to be a celebration of me or Thea. We wanted to welcome her friends and family to the home we were going to be sharing. I didn’t want them to think I was stealing her away. I was looking forward to many more of these gatherings. I just hoped I would have some representation.
After dinner, Thea took Ally upstairs to see the house. Rich was in the living room with Lucas, going over the Jordan resort. Clay and I cleared the table.
“So, the neighbor isn’t giving you any trouble?” I asked.
“Honestly, he really hasn’t,” he replied. “We’re just two old guys hanging out. He did apologize for the drama with Thea. I told him it was her he needed to apologize to. I’m not sure he ever will. He might not be man enough to eat his words just yet.”
“Understandable,” I said. “She gave as good as she got. I had to pull her back.”
Clay chuckled and shook his head. “That’s my girl. She’s not all that big, but she’s ferocious, especially when it comes to protecting those pups.”
“Or Lucas.”
“Or Lucas,” he agreed.
“Have you heard anything more from Stacey?” I asked. I hoped he didn’t think I was prying, but she had been a big part of his life. I knew what it was like to lose something like that, even if he was the one that walked away. The woman had been taking care of him in her own way for two years.
“I got some messages from someone claiming to be her brother,” he said.
“Threats?” I asked.
“Nah, just letting me know they didn’t like what I’d done to her,” he said. “I’m not worried.”
“Do you feel like you’re getting on okay?” I asked. “You know you are welcome here anytime you want. I’ve got plenty of room. I know what it’s like to be alone.”
“I appreciate that, Reese. I think I’m okay. I hate to say it, but it’s actually been pretty nice. I feel like I’ve been through a storm. I’m on the other side and doing a little reflecting. I know what I don’t want now. I think I’m going to take some time and just reset. I’m going to see if Thea will let me do some work on that place. It’ll keep me busy. I don’t like sitting idle.”
“Hey, absolutely,” I said. “Let me know if you need any help. I’d be happy to spend the day with you. I can get whatever supplies you might need.”