He fucking knew.

He knew he was going to die that night.

And he knew what losing him would do to me.

Fifty-Nine

Dylan

“Dude, you need me to drive?” Cam asks from the front passenger seat on the way home. “Why do you keep rubbing your eye?”

Jake pulls over on the side of the road. “It’s fucking itchy as fuck.” Then it dawns on him. “You fucking assholes! I have a reporter coming to the house tomorrow!”

He goes to punch Cam but Logan stops him. “No violence!”

Chuckling, I look out the window while Cam and Jake swap seats, wondering why it is there hasn’t been any retaliation yet. Especially on me.

Fuck. I’m never going to sleep.

“Yo, Amanda just messaged me. She said to pick the girls up from your house, D,” Logan says.

“Well, yeah. They stayed there last night didn’t they?”

“No, I mean at your house.”

“What are they doing there?” I ask.

Cam chuckles as he turns to me. “Mayhem, motherfucker.”

Shit.

There’s no sign of glitter from outside the house, which I guess is a good thing. And there’s no loud High School Musical soundtrack blasting, either. Without the help of the boys, the girls aren’t that creative. But then again, I did fuck the boys over. Individually, too. And that causes three times the panic that’s currently flowing through me.

I stop a few feet away from the garage door leading to the yard, hoping that one of them will go through first. They don’t. In fact, they stand behind me, arms crossed, legs spread, all scowling. “It’s bad isn’t it?” I ask.

Jake rubs his eye. “Fuck yeah, it is.”

I huff out a breath, reach for the bike helmet hanging on the wall and put it on.

“That’s not going to help you in this situation,” Cameron says.

“How fucking bad is it?”

“Remember that time you tried to staple my nostrils shut? Think that. Only a thousand times worse.”

“You sweating, Banks?” Logan asks.

I puff out my chest “No.” Then I wipe the sweat off my brow.

“He’s sweating, all right,” Jake mumbles.

After a few deep breaths, I gain the courage I need to turn the knob and slowly push open the door. I walk out quickly; in case something falls from the roof. Nothing does. In fact, nothing happens at all. Or, maybe it’s because my eyes are closed.

I ball my fists and open one eye first, then the other.

There’s a sea of red, white and blue and a bunch of faceless other people who I’m sure I know but right now all I see, all I feel, is Riley standing in front of me. She’s wearing red shorts, a plane white shirt under one of my blue flannel ones. She looks just like the picture I’d carried with me everywhere when I was deployed—the one I’d pull out when I needed a reminder of the reason I was there. Her hands are clasped together in front of her and she’s smiling. “Happy homecoming, baby.”

I take the stupid helmet off and cover the distance between us. “What?”

She lets me take both her hands before shrugging. “We never got a chance to celebrate you coming home… so…” She steps to the side, revealing everyone else.

My family, hers, the girls and all their parents.

“We didn’t have much time to plan…” Riley tells me.

I switch my gaze back to her. “When did you—”

“This morning.”

I reach up, my hands on her neck and my thumb stroking her cheek. “I love you, you know that?”

She smiles. “You better, Banks.”

And then I kiss her, maybe a little too inappropriate considering Holly groans, “Gross,” and Lachlan, Lucy’s little brother shouts, “That’s yuck!” but I don’t care.

A half hour later, I’ve greeted everyone here. Bryce, Heidi’s boyfriend, Jake’s mom, Cam’s parents, Lucy’s dad and a couple of her brothers and Logan’s dad… who can’t seem to take his eyes off Riley’s mom.

I take a seat on the lawn chair next to him. “Dr. Matthews.”

“Dylan.” He nods, his eyes still on Holly. “It’s good to have you home, Son.”

“Thank you, Sir.” I pause a beat, watching his reaction. “You see something you like?”

His eyes snap to mine. “Excuse me?”

Logan walks up, interrupting us. “He causing you any problems, Pops?” he asks, taking a seat on the other side of him.

“You want me to introduce you?” I ask, ignoring Logan.

Dr. Matthews eyes go wide and he sits up higher. “No!”

I smile.

“Introduce who?” Logan says, looking around.

“Riley’s mom.”

Logan nudges him. “Dad, you crushing on Ms. Hudson?” he says loud enough for Holly to hear. She faces us, ignoring the conversation she’s currently having with Jake’s mom. With narrowed eyes, she mouths, “Me?”

I nod and wave her over.

“Oh my God, why is she coming here?” Dr. Matthews mumbles, wiping his palms on his pants.

“Are you nervous?” Logan asks, eyeing his dad with amusement. “Holy shit, I’ve never seen you like this!”

We all stand when Holly closes the distance. “Did you say my name?” she asks me.

“Hey Holly, have you met Dr. Alan Matthews?”