Arden smirks. “Wait till you see the inside.”
Lifting my eyebrows, Eden and I continue into the cottage.
Inside the small living room, the whitewashed brick fireplace is glowing with a warm and welcoming fire. A large banner over the hearth reads WELCOME HOME EDEN in colorful block letters. The aroma of Italian spices wafts toward us from the kitchen, and my mouth is instantly watering. Eden and I didn’t pull off the road for dinner because I was so anxious to get her to Savannah.
“What’s the delicious smell?” Aiming my question at Arden, I head for the kitchen.
There’s a smile in Arden’s voice. “Why don’t you ask the chef?”
And I pull up short in the kitchen doorway. There, taking a pan out of the oven with a mitt on his hand, is Axel. I don’t move or speak for almost a full minute, shock taking over all my senses. Finally, my mouth learns to work again.
“I’ve never seen you in the kitchen before.”
He turns toward me, only just now realizing I’ve been watching him. A slow grin spreads across his lips. He pulls off the oven mitt and places the spatula he just found beside the pan.
“Well, you’ve only been around me in social settings. This is a whole new era in our friendship, remember? We’re about to learn all kinds of new things about each other. You’re going to learn that I’m a damn good cook. And I just found out you have a thirteen-year-old daughter.”
I feel the heat coloring my cheeks, but I refuse to look away from his probing gaze. “There are a lot of reasons I didn’t tell anyone, Axel. Would you like to meet Eden?”
His grin grows wider. “I’d love to meet her.”
He walks toward me, and I take his arm and lead him around the corner into the living room. Flash and Nitro have gone outside to retrieve Eden’s bag from the car, and Arden is busily telling my daughter all kinds of things that she’ll love about the city of Savannah.
“—All kinds of things to do for a girl your age,” gushes Arden. “You’ll see.”
When Axel and I appear in the doorway, Eden glances up. Her green eyes scrutinize Axel, and I can see the question in her eyes.
“Eden, this is Flash’s brother, Axel. He’s another friend. We’ve all formed kind of a family unit.” I glance at Axel with a warm smile. “Apparently, he’s made us dinner.”
Axel’s smile lights up his face, and if I were Eden I wouldn’t be able to resist it. But after everything my daughter’s been through over the past few days, she’s slower to accept it. She nods, her eyes guarded.
“It’s nice to meet you.”
If Axel’s offended by her lack of enthusiasm, he doesn’t show it. “Lasagna’s out of the oven and cooling. Eden, has anyone shown you your room yet?”
Eden looks at me, and I shrug. “Don’t look at me. When I left to come and get you, I had a spare room.”
“Come on, sis. Let me show you.” Axel holds out his arm for Eden, like a gentleman.
She hesitates for a moment, glancing at me. I offer her a gentle smile, silently letting her know it’s okay for her to trust Axel. She places her small hand in the crook of his arm, and he leads her down the short hallway. I follow, and Eden’s short gasp of surprise is the only sound I need to make my heart fuller than it’s ever been.
My spare bedroom has been transformed. Arden must have gotten busy with the guys the second I called her yesterday, because the small futon and desk I had in here are a thing of the past. Now, a white loft bed resides against mint-green painted walls. A beautiful white quilt with coral seahorses covers the bed, matching pillows adorn the top. A beautifully crafted desk fits underneath, and a bookshelf lined with books fits against another wall. Eden is frozen in place, her hands covering her mouth.
“Why don’t you go check out the closet?” Arden encourages from behind me.
Eden glances at us, her eyes wide. My throat is too clogged to speak, but I urge her forward with a nod. She cross the room to the closet, which has been emptied of the storage containers I previously had inside and is now filled with clothes a thirteen-year-old girl would love.
Arden whispers in my ear. “I looked up Nadia’s number and called her. I asked her to look at some of Eden’s clothes and tell me what size she was. I hope I haven’t overstepped.”
Turning, I grab my best friend in what might be the tightest hug I’ve ever given her.
Pulling back, I wipe my eyes and note the trickle of tears that leak from Arden’s. We step out into the hallway.
“I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you.” Emotion clogs my throat as I look into Arden’s watery, light-green gaze.
She shakes her head. “This explains so much. Why did you keep it a secret?”
I glance back at the bedroom doorway. “I never wanted Brick to find out. When we were dating in high school, he wanted me to keep the baby. But I knew his life in the gang would be her death warrant. Both of ours. So I placed her for adoption. My father already had me sent away because he didn’t want anyone to know I was pregnant. But Brick knew. He was furious. When he was sent to prison for that armed robbery I never thought I’d hear from him again.”
I stop, shuddering. Thinking about my old life, about Brick, brings up memories that are better dead and buried. Arden knew him, knew what we were like together. But there’s so much she doesn’t know.
Arden presses me. “But did you? Hear from him again?”
I tear my gaze from hers. “One time. He called when he was released from prison. I don’t know how he got my number. He wanted to know what happened to Eden. Wanted to know where she was. I feigned ignorance. He didn’t know it was an open adoption. But…”
Arden squeezes my hand. “But what?”
I shake my head. “You don’t understand how the gang works. How far they can reach when they want something. If anyone has an inkling that I was in Florida or why…if he has any clue that Eden is with me now…” I shudder again. “I just don’t want to think what could happen.”
Arden shakes her head, determination scrawled across her beautiful face. “He’ll never know. You’re safe, Brantley. You both are.”
Shaking off the dark thoughts of the past, I smile at my friend, wrapping my arms around her in another hug. “I know.”
But deep down, I can’t help wondering where Brick Montoya is now. And what he knows.
6
Axel
I don’t want Brantley to think I’m avoiding her now just because she has a daughter. But my mind is seriously blown. A few days following her arrival back in Savannah with Eden, I show up at my boxing gym early to spar with my brother. During our warm-up, I’m quieter than normal. Finally, Flash hits me with a one-two thrust, slamming me in my jaw with his gloved fist harder than he normally would when we’re just messing around.
“What the actual fuck?” Glaring at him, I massage the area with my glove. I know he can’t see my glare, but he can read the pissed-off tone in my voice just fine.
“You’re not focused. That’s not getting us anywhere. If we’re not going to spar, we might as well hit the showers. I can get to the office early this morning.” Flash frowns, stepping back from me and shifting his weight from foot to foot.