Unlikely Places

Chapter 42 I Love You

The front door closed with a silent snap and I leaned my head against the cool wood feeling utterly exhausted. Content, but still tired.

After my explanation and Percy's chastising for at least ten minutes straight, the guys had finally explained why they had returned.

They had in fact never left. They had been sitting out front in one of their cars talking amongst themselves. They had spent the first few minutes, they admitted trashing me but reality had been close behind and it wasn't very long before their anger had died out and their thoughts had ultimately turned inward as they realized they were being unfair and a tad bit absurd.

They had all profusely apologized to me, hugged, me, and swore to never be that stupid again. Pierce had spoken up at that moment and told them to not make promises they couldn't possibly keep. I had stiffened and scowled at him but ironically it was his words that had cracked the awkward atmosphere that continued to linger around us.

Their chuckles had warmed my heart and I had hugged them back just as tightly, in a way I had never really reciprocated before. My hair was ruffled at least a dozen times. My shoulders clamped and patted by big meaty palms that at times felt crushing but I didn't dodge a one. The strong brotherhood I was feeling was worth any bruise that could result.

The fact that Pierce was included was the cherry on the top.

Percy and Archer were completely relaxed with him. No one could ever really remain un relaxed around Percy. He kind of made a person respond to him whether they wanted to or not. Pierce didn't appear to be an exception.

Branson, Mick, and Noah were a little more stilted at first, but Archer had pulled them away for a few minutes. When they had come back, they had made a bee line straight for me and the apologies and hugging had commenced. So had their first sincere attempts to engage Pierce and include him within our group.

Of course, Branson being Branson, he had dared to bring back the tension with his solemnly delivered dire warning to Pierce should he ever hurt me. No one had scolded Branson though. Instead all eyes had darted to Pierce for his reaction.

Pierce had met Branson's eyes straight on, his icy blue stare clear and direct as he said, "Jackson's lucky to have you all. I promise you that in time you will see that he will be just as lucky to have me, though he will never be as blessed as I am to have him."

I'd choked up as he spoke. My throat felt tight, a lump the size of a plum making it difficult to swallow. What he said, how he said it, the way he looked when he spoke; they all touched me deeply. There was no way my friends couldn't see or hear or feel the unreserved sincerity in his words.

The last of the tension had melted away after that. The gathering had convened as it was originally intended from there on. We ate, we talked, we laughed, we teased, we shared, we loved!

Pierce had relaxed more and more as the evening continued. His sharp tongue hadn't gone into hiding either. His caustic sense of humor, something I considered to be an acquired taste made the rounds. No one was safe. Funny enough, it turned out, his acerbic whit was appreciated most by Branson of all people. His laughter often boomed when he talked with Pierce, making me smile.

Mick and Noah chatted with him as well. Mick spent a great deal of time, too much time in my opinion, regaling Pierce with stories of me in high school. Everyone laughed as he recanted my miserable attempts to tutor them in math and English as well as their more miserable attempts to teach me football.

Noah joined in but he was quieter than the rest. He laughed and joked and ate but there was a troubled loneliness he just couldn't completely hide. I worried about him. I noticed that Percy and Archer were eyeing him as well. I figured something had happened before he came tonight and I had made a silent reminder to call him tomorrow to check on him.