&
nbsp; “My boy is certainly lucky to have a woman willing to make the sacrifices you did. Through boot camp, the Marines, and with each deployment, my heart was never beating fully. I always worried about him.
“When he was injured, I thought I’d curl up and die. Even after he healed, he was still missing something. Until you. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, he’s exactly like his father. Once he found you, he was complete. I can only hope he hasn’t lost you.”
“This may be weird to say to his mom, but I think I lost myself in him.”
She opens her mouth to speak, but James shakes his head so she purses her lips.
“Ember, it’s not lost on me that my children are stubborn. They get that from me. Hell, my daughter went to a different country to run away from her heartbreak. But, Robbie, he needs you. His recent actions are questionable, but when he’s with you, he’s whole.
“With that being said, you need to do what’s best for you. For most of your life you’ve walked on eggshells. If you take him back, I personally won’t stand for you living like that again. You need to be equals in your relationship, and he needs to worship you like you deserve.”
“I’m so scared. What if I make him mad again?”
“Yeesh! I make James mad all the time, but we learned to live with it. No other man could ever love me and our family the way he does, and I wouldn’t change a thing.” Jenna laughs.
“My family isn’t exactly the postcard for functional. I’m not sure what to do,” I admit.
“For the first time in your life, you do what’s best for you. Take all the time you need,” James tells me with concern. “You. Are. Worth. It.”
Jenna jumps up when a timer goes off. “Cinnamon rolls are done!” she announces. “And from the looks of you, I think you need at least two.”
I open my mouth to argue, but the smell wafting through the room has my stomach growling. “That sounds amazing.”
She runs out of the room, and James looks at me kindly. “You’re always welcome here, Little Star. Thank you for trusting us.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t do it earlier. Maybe this could have been avoided.”
“Never mention it again. Let’s go eat.” He rises and brings me with him, tugging me to his side. “Be prepared. If I know Jenna, she’s got a full spread. She’s going to put you in a food coma.”
I laugh for the first time in days. “I look forward to it.”
He smiles at me, and I begin to feel as if everything will be okay.
There are a ton of missed calls from Robbie on my phone, but I can’t bring myself to listen to the messages. For the first time in a long time, I’m focused only on me. Being with James and Jenna was eye-opening. Finally, I understand what true, life-long love is like. And I deserve it. I may be sorry for my decisions, but I’d never change them if it meant keeping the people I love safe.
The love I saw between them made me think hard about Robbie. I adore him with all my heart, but I’m worth a little more than a disappearing act for pissing him off. My newfound confidence is exhilarating.
When I walk in the front door, I’m stunned to see Robbie asleep on the couch. He’s hugging my pillow tight and snuggled into the cushions. Cruz waves at me frantically from the kitchen, so I quietly go to him.
“He won’t leave. He falls asleep, wakes up, calls you, then dozes back off. Finally, he went to get a pillow off your bed and has been asleep for an hour. Where have you been?”
“I had to clear my head.”
“Why didn’t you answer your phone?” He shakes his finger at me, and Alex comes to hold me close.
“I needed to do something, alone.”
“We worry about you,” Alex says softly.
“Don’t. For the first time in my life, I’m totally clear on where I need to be.”
“You gonna put him out of his misery?” Cruz questions.
“I don’t want him to be miserable. I love him. But I’m not the same Ember anymore. He may not like the new woman.”
“I’ll love anything you give me.” Robbie’s voice cuts through the room, and I turn to see him leaning against the doorway.