Stolen Course (Wrecked and Ruined #2)

Exactly ten days after he was born, Collin Mitchell Jones came home. Since Caleb gave in and let me pick the first name, I couldn’t argue when he chose his father’s name for the middle. The day we picked him up from the hospital, I felt like I was walking on the clouds. Caleb, however, was a nervous wreck. He asked the nurses a million questions while I stood behind him silently laughing and shaking my head. He even took the car seat to three different police officers’ houses to have it checked to make sure it was installed properly. They weren’t even on duty, but Caleb still forced them out to his new SUV to check it. Normally I would have been offended that he wouldn’t take my word on something, but I have to admit that, after both of the car accidents that changed our lives, I was relieved to know we had done everything possible to keep him safe.

Today, Collin is one month old. It’s been an extremely long month. We are both exhausted. Collin isn’t fond of sleeping, I still cry at the drop of a hat, and Caleb still obsesses about germs and hand sanitizer. (Thank you, NICU Nurse Autumn, for that.) Hunter and Alex are finally coming up to meet Collin for the first time. We held them off for as long as possible so I could really recover and enjoy their visit. We decided to do a little get-together, and as much as it pains me, I can’t have everyone I love together in one place. Caleb and Sarah have marginally made up, but there are some bridges that can never be rebuilt. There will never be a future where Sarah and Brett can ever be in the same room. While I hate it, I can’t say that I blame him.

I don’t know the full details about what happened with Caleb, Brett, and Eli, but everyone is still alive and no one—that I know of—ended up bloody. I do know that they decided amongst themselves not to pursue an internal investigation against Eli’s actions that night. After hearing the whole story from Casey and Eli, they decided that they didn’t want them to pay for it criminally. Casey got the help she needed, and they all agreed that she had paid the price. What can I say is…having a baby changed Caleb’s outlook on life. He never would have given Sarah that leeway. While it burns, it also makes me happy that no one else will be weighted down with the responsibility of that night.

I don’t completely understand their decisions about this, but I don’t have to. I’m Sarah’s sister and Caleb’s wife, but on a very surface level, that accident didn’t involve me. I’m more than happy to voice my opinion in most situations, but in this one, I just have to sit back and let them figure it out.

Ultimately they asked Eli to quit the force. They both agreed that they didn’t want a man like that serving beside them. I think deep down Caleb understands that he was trying to protect Casey, but their friendship is permanently severed. I asked him the other night in bed if he hated them now. I was worried that he was going to fall back into his dark space with a new vendetta against Eli and Casey, but he quickly put my fears to rest. He told me, “There is no way I can look at you and that baby and have any room left in my chest for hate.” It was a really fucking good answer.

“Look at this little man!” Hunter says, pulling the baby from my arms. “Does he look like me?” He holds him up against his face.

Caleb lets out a growl and rolls his eyes. He has surprisingly warmed up to Hunter since we got married. He still pretends to be annoyed with him. I mean, let’s be honest. Hunter is a little over the top.

“You want a beer, man?” Caleb asks.

“You know it.” He kisses Collin and hands him over to Kara, who is eagerly awaiting her turn.

“So what’s up with you two? Y’all getting serious?” I ask as she coos, running her finger over his little nose.

“Something like that. We met up in Georgia last weekend at his best friend’s wedding. He introduced me to his mom and everything.”

“Wait, Mason and Lacey got married?”

“Yep. Apparently she got knocked up too. I’m making Hunter wear two condoms from now on. This shit is contagious.”

“Wow. I can’t believe he went to the wedding. I’m going to have to get a full update on how that little reunion went down.”

Jesse shows up with Brett behind her. “Can I hold him?”

“Sure thing.” Kara passes him over.

Tonight, we’re moving the party over to Sarah’s place after Brett and Jesse head home. I know right now she is with Casey preparing dinner. Casey won’t stick around though. She might be close with Sarah and friendly with me, but she avoids Caleb at all costs. Trust me. That’s probably for the best.

Sarah and Casey have become close again since the truth came out. It’s great to see them together again. Casey helps Sarah learn to live again and Sarah helps Casey let go of her grief. They need each other more than anyone ever knew.

I look around the room for a moment. Jesse and Kara are huddled together, talking about how adorable Collin is and debating who he looks like. Caleb, Brett, Hunter, and Alex are all in the kitchen sipping beers, talking sports, and laughing like old friends. It’s not everyone, but this moment, right here is as close to perfect as it can get.

Caleb catches my eye from across the room, and we stare for a second before he tosses me his signature smirk and a wink. I smile back as he mouths, “I love you.” I don’t say anything in return. I just hold up my fingers about an inch apart. His face warms at the memory and we both laugh at our unspoken joke. The truth is that no amount of space in the world could adequately portray how much I love Caleb or our life together. This really is it.

Oh God. I’m going to cry again.

Damn.