Between Us Girls (47 page)

Ew
. That was a purely emotional response.

But why should it surprise her? She should be getting used to purely emotional responses. Unearthing ancestral ties and seeing—basically—the hand of God bringing together two far-flung histories that resulted in Sam's existence had seriously messed with her core being. And before all that—

She shook her head. Before all that, she had been primed for it. Meeting bighearted, honey-voiced Jasmyn had been the beginning of the end of Samantha Whitley. Jasmyn was an industrial-strength version of Liv but didn't know it.

Jasmyn had taught Sam that she could be social and that people would actually accept that side of her. Such an image of herself made Sam squirm inside, and yet it also made her want to go for it, to find a life outside of work.

That thought led directly to Beau.

Which led to facing the fact that he already had a life, one that ruled out their paths crossing in a social way.

Which led to the idea of moving from the Casa to someplace where their paths would never cross in any way.

Which led to craving a hug from Liv.

She paused now in the deserted courtyard and took a deep breath of salt air.
Good grief
. What did people do with such a clutter of emotions?

Her phone rang and she pulled it from a pocket. Jasmyn's name showed on the screen and a wave of calm flowed through Sam.

“Hi.”

“Quinn got engaged.”

“You're kidding. To the guy who dumped her?”

“Evidently that was all in her head. He showed up on a white horse, and he was wrapped in foil. He took her to the baseball fields at the high school. They love baseball. He proposed on the pitcher's mound and said he had to live in Chicago and he would buy them season passes to the Cubs if she said yes. She said yes. She'll text you a picture of the diamond ring.”

Sam laughed until the words sank in. “Wait. Chicago? She's moving? Jasmyn! What does this mean for you and the Pig?”

“Well.” Jasmyn sniffled and giggled at the same time. “Well. You know.” The sniffles won and she stopped talking.

“I know?” What did she know? She knew that buying the restaurant was Jasmyn and Quinn's future together, not separately. She knew that Jasmyn did not have a real home, nor did she even feel at home in her hometown. Now she didn't have a job. Or a BFF. Or a surrogate dad in Danno.

Sam's breath caught. “Really? For real, Jasmyn? You're coming here? You're
moving
here?”

“Is that crazy?” she whispered.

“Crazy wonderful.” And then Sam started crying. She was a goner for sure now.

Eighty

Eavesdropping was like a reflex. Keagan did not intentionally engage in it. It just happened. In his past life, when information was everything, it had served him well.

He had spotted Sam near her cottage and began to go over to greet her when her phone rang. He stopped beside a large bird-of-paradise, in its shadow. Reflex.

Her voice carried—the fountain was off—and it became apparent she was talking to Jasmyn.

“Really? For real, Jasmyn? You're coming here? You're
moving
here?”

He heard the words, those precise words. Still, he would have questioned his understanding of the one-sided conversation if not for the fact that Liv had said Jasmyn would return to stay.

Why did he ever doubt Liv's intuition?

He felt, for the first time in a very long time, hopeful.

And maybe even a little bit happy.

Eighty-One

Every once in a while, like now, Liv sat in her recliner, completely incapacitated, overcome with…

“With You, Lord. Just with You.”

It was not always a significant, happy event that triggered the moment. Sometimes it was the sight of a dolphin swimming past the pier. Sometimes it was a memory of Syd. Sometimes it was deep sadness.

But tonight it was most definitely a significant, happy event.

Samantha had stopped in, thoroughly flustered. She smiled as tears poured from her eyes, turned down the small casserole Liv had prepared for her homecoming, and promised to tell her all about her trip tomorrow.

Liv wondered who the stranger was and what she had done with Samantha.

At the moment, Samantha said, it didn't matter. Jasmyn was going to call any minute with news.

Any minute proved to be unbearably long for Samantha. She spilled the beans. By the time Liv answered Jasmyn's call, she too was in a tizzy. Many happy tears were shed.

It was too soon for plans. Jasmyn had much to do before she could leave Valley Oaks.

Liv smiled now, simply overcome…

Eighty-Two

Two weeks and four days after Jasmyn realized that her life in Valley Oaks was over, she arrived in San Diego in time for Thanksgiving dinner.

Was she home?

She stood on the curb at the busy pickup area outside the airport and shut her eyes. The familiar ocean air and the bone-warming sunshine engulfed her.
Welcome home, Jasmyn Albright. Welcome home.

It felt right, but butterflies still whipped around inside of her. The questions still bombarded.

Was she making the right choice? Would she find a job? How would she find a job? Would she truly fit in at the Casa? In a big city?

The past two weeks and four days had been a nonstop string of cleaning, packing, gatherings, and goodbyes.

She and Quinn observed the eighth-month anniversary of the tornado with lattes in Rockville. They agreed that was enough commemorating and spent the rest of the day at bridal shops and choosing Quinn's gown.

She and Quinn threw a going-away party for Danno. It seemed that half the town stopped by to wish him and—surprisingly—Jasmyn good luck. He officially shut down the Pig and she hugged him goodbye beside his pickup truck the day he left for Florida.

She helped Quinn pack, hugged her and Andrew goodbye beside a small U-Haul, and took comfort that she would see them in the spring for their wedding.

She packed her own few things, stuck them in her car, and made arrangements for it to be shipped to California. It was expensive, but
unlike her half sister Manda, she had no desire to drive cross-country by herself.

There was no one left to hug goodbye except Quinn's younger brother, who kindly drove her to the airport in Rockville.

None of it had been easy. It had all been downright awful. She desperately needed a hello hug from Sam to remind her that the past was past. That today was a brand-new beginning full of unimagined possibilities.

Amen.

She blew out another anxious breath and opened her eyes.

Keagan stood in front of her, smiling, his sunglasses on top of his head. The full-on impact of his peacock-blue gaze set off another batch of butterflies.

“Hi.”

“H-hi. Uh, Sam's picking me up.”

“Change of plans. I told her you and I have this airport thing going.” He paused. “And maybe something else.”

Her breath caught. Sean Keagan cared for her? But— “You didn't text or call.”

He shook his head. “I didn't want to confuse the process. I didn't want you to come back here for me.”

She thought of Danno's comment about her having a knight. She remembered her response, that a family and a home were what she needed. “I truly did not.”

His mouth twitched. “Not even a little?”

She shrugged and tried not to smile.

They stared at each other for a long moment, smiles fading as something else began to blossom.

His hands were propped on his hips. He wore a dark gold T-shirt, one with the small logo on the front, and blue jeans. As always, the air shimmered around him. She felt safer than she had in her entire life.

She took the first step toward him, into the strong arms she knew would enfold her.

“Welcome home, Jasmyn,” he whispered in her ear. “You have been greatly missed.”

Unlike Labor Day back in September, Jasmyn entered the Casa de Vida via the back gate with Keagan carrying her luggage. The courtyard, however, was once again decked out in festive mode, this time for Thanksgiving.

She spotted long, cloth-covered tables with autumn floral centerpieces. Orange Japanese lanterns were draped here and there. Stacks of real plates, cloth napkins, and silverware—no plastic or paper in sight—waited on the serving table. Liv and others were setting things in order.

During the ride from the airport, Keagan had filled her in on the Casa's Thanksgiving tradition. Or, rather, Liv's tradition. It was her day to welcome the street people to dinner.

Liv saw them first and she shrieked. “Keagan! You were supposed to call!”

Jasmyn hurried over to greet her with a hug.

From that point on, things became almost chaotic. Jasmyn received a full quota of hugs and then some. The smiles and welcomes went on and on. Liv, Coco, Inez, Louis, Noah, Déja, Piper, Riley, Tasha, Chad, and Sam.

Sam waited until last, pulled her aside, and spoke in a low voice. “Sorry about the airport surprise.”

“You owe me for that one. Not even a text warning?”

“He can be really persuasive.”

“Tell me about it.”

Sam's eyes narrowed. “Maybe you want to tell me about it?”

Jasmyn smiled.

“You have the Cheshire cat bit down good. We'll talk later. So, welcome to Liv's annual madhouse. I'm not staying, by the way.”

“Why not?”

“Randy and his family invited me for dinner.” She tilted her head, right and left. “The homeless crowd makes me nervous. And Beau will be here.”

Sam had not spoken to Beau since she returned. He was back from Hollywood, but she had so far managed to avoid him.

“Sam, you have to talk to him at some point.”

“I will.”

“What are you waiting for?”

Her mouth set in a straight line. The hurt in her eyes was unmistakable. She still had a crush on him.

“Oh, Sammi. I'm sorry.”

“I feel like such an idiot. But…” She smiled. “Other than that, I'm all about being social. Come on. Number Eleven awaits.”

They walked toward the cottage. Liv had texted almost daily about its condition. Many borrowed items were still in place. The hand-me-down couch from Inez. The hand-me-down end tables, lamps, and kitchen table from Chad's parents' garage. Inez insisted the rollaway bed stay. Liv insisted her kitchen items stay. Sam donated her television and rocker again for however long Jasmyn might need them.

Jasmyn eyed the grape-purple door with its matching Adirondack chairs and breathed a
thanks
. She thought of the jasmine plant in the back and offered another
thanks.
She thought of the furnishings inside, the cream that was probably in the fridge, the calendar she had left on the wall, the Casa friends—those who were the family of her heart—and gave
thanks.

She stepped on a thick mat in front of the door.

A thick mat? What happened to the thin rug—

Her name was on it. Small, purple lettering in the upper left-hand corner. The center image was a large bouquet of colorful flowers.

It was the same mat that all the women had in front of their doors. The men's mats had trees instead of flowers.

“Ohh.”

Sam said, “You're official now.”

She grinned and pushed open the door, already ajar because Liv had gone ahead with Keagan and the luggage. Jasmyn and Sam walked inside. The sign caught her attention first and she stopped dead in her tracks.

It hung across the arched doorway that separated the living room and kitchen.
Welcome Home, Jasmyn!
The letters were big and fat and solid purple, surrounded by rainbows and flowers. It looked like Tasha's handiwork.