Chapter 33 Home
The warm familiarity of home hit me the moment we stepped off the plane. After the snowy stillness of the Colorado Rockies, Boston felt alive, with brisk air, distant city sounds, and the crisp scent of salt from the coast. But what really made it feel like home was the tall, perfectly pressed figure standing beside the sleek black SUV waiting on the tarmac.
"Miss Emmy," Darren said, giving me a nod and the faintest of smiles. "Welcome home."
"Hi, Darren." I grinned, warmth blooming in my chest. He opened the rear door for me with the same efficiency he always had. Darren had been with the guys since they were babies, their house manager, unofficial guardian, and sometimes quiet disciplinarian when needed. He called everyone "Mr." or "Miss," but he wasn't just staff. He was family.
"Mr. Josh, Mr. Jake, Mr. Drew, Mr. Mike, Mr. Patrick," he greeted each of them in turn with a nod.
"Good to see you, Darren," Patrick said with genuine warmth. "Everything all right while we were gone?"
"The house is as you left it, sir. Groceries have been delivered, and your schedules have been printed. The landscapers are due in the morning."
I bit my lip to hide a smile. No one could ever accuse Darren of slacking.
Once the luggage was loaded and everyone settled into the car, Darren pulled away smoothly, navigating the roads like he had every curve memorized. The drive from the private airport to the house took a little over an hour, winding through back roads and quiet neighborhoods. I was sitting between Jake and Patrick, happy to just snuggle between them, watching the scenery pass by outside. Until we reached the long, tree-lined driveway, and I sat up, letting out a deep sigh. Home.
Jake watched me with an amused smile. " Ready to be rid of us already?" He asked in a teasing tone.
"Nope," I said, popping the p at the end and trying to keep a straight face. "I love being in a fiance sandwich."
Patrick seemed to choke on air, then coughed as his face turned red.
"Everything all right, Mr. Patrick?" Darren called from the driver's seat, and that's when I lost it and let out my own snort of laughter. Jake followed quickly, joining in on my laughter, and the other guys were all turned around now to see what was going on.
"Thanks, Darren, but I'm good," Patrick assured him before turning his eyes to me.
"You know love, any time you want to be sandwitched between us I can arrange it." He growled in a voice quiet enough that only I could hear. Now it was my turn to be speechless, but before I could respond.
Darren had parked, and the guys were climbing out and unloading our bags. When I had composed myself and got out of the car, I just stood in the driveway and stared up at the house. The porch lights were already glowing, welcoming us back as if nothing had changed.
Drew stepped up beside me and gently bumped my shoulder with his. “You okay?”
I nodded slowly. “Yeah. Just… It’s weird. We were gone for two weeks, but it feels like a lifetime.”
He slipped an arm around my waist. “It’s home. It’s supposed to feel like that.”
Inside, the house smelled faintly of lemon cleaner and fresh laundry. Darren must have had someone come through while we were gone. Everything was spotless. Comfortable. Ours.
I kicked off my boots and padded toward the living room. The furniture looked exactly as we’d left it—soft throws draped over the couches, video game controllers stacked neatly under the TV, and the coffee table still bearing the faint ring from someone’s mug. Probably Jake’s.
Josh dropped our bags at the bottom of the stairs. “Okay, ground rules for today: no unpacking, no working, and definitely no planning. We chill, we order food, and we play as many ridiculous games as possible until we pass out.”
Jake raised his hand like he was in class. “Can we order Thai?”
“Yes,” I said before anyone else could speak. “Absolutely.”
“Miss Emmy makes the call,” Darren said dryly from the hall. "Shall I place the order for your usuals?"
“Please,” I told him with a smile. “And thank you, Darren.”
He gave me a slight nod. “Of course. I’ll bring the food to the media room when it arrives.”
With that, Darren disappeared toward the kitchen, probably to check on whatever list of tasks he’d already made in his head.
Patrick returned from upstairs and wrapped an arm around me from behind. “You sure you’re okay?”
“I’m good. I think I just needed a minute to let it all sink in.”
He pressed a kiss to my temple. “Take all the time you need. This house isn’t going anywhere.”
I knew he meant more than the house.
By the time we all gathered in the media room, the lights were dimmed, blankets and pillows thrown everywhere, and someone had already started setting up the consoles. Jake and Mike immediately jumped into a competitive fighting game, the two of them shouting insults and laughing like they hadn’t just spent two weeks together.
I curled up in the oversized recliner with Drew, my legs draped over his lap. He ran his fingers absentmindedly along my shin while Josh leaned over the back of the couch behind me and stole a few kisses when the others weren’t looking.
Patrick sat cross-legged on the floor in front of us, headset around his neck, half watching the game and half scrolling through his phone.
Mike grinned at the screen. “You ready to lose, Jake?”
“In your dreams.”
“Let’s make this interesting. Loser does dishes for a week.”
Jake narrowed his eyes. “You’re on.”
I laughed softly and leaned my head back, closing my eyes for just a second.
We were home. Together.
And it was exactly where I wanted to be.