Liv swept her arm toward the stairs. “Lead the way, lady of the house.”

Kincaid and Ash led them upstairs, her heartbeat picking up speed. Her friends would be her first guests. The most important ones of all. She guided the group to the far end of the hall, and Ash handed her a bag he’d stashed in a corner.

Kincaid stood in front of the group and cleared her throat, her fingers worrying the handles of the bag. “When I bought this place, it was on impulse. I think I was looking for something I thought I’d never really have. All my life, I’ve lived alone. Even when my mom was under the same roof, I was by myself. There were no family dinners. There were no movie nights curled up on the couch. There was no place that felt welcome and safe.”

Rebecca’s eyes softened with empathy.

“So all my life, I’ve worked hard to surround myself with people. To be the center of attention, the life of the party, the popular girl. If people were talking to me, I wasn’t alone. If I was helping someone or meddling in their love lives as I’ve been known to do…”

Liv smirked.

“I was part of something. I had a scrap to hold onto.” She blinked, her tears trying to spill.

Ash’s hand slipped around her waist, giving her hip a squeeze.

“But as I put this place back together, as I built the dream I thought I couldn’t have, I realized I already had it.” She looked at the faces of her friends. “This place is just walls and pretty decorations. The night you three ladies came back into my life is when I got the map.” She smiled, her tears sneaking out. “You helped me find my way home.”

Her friends stared at her, and then Liv pressed her fingers to her lips, her dark eyes going shiny. “Dammit, woman. Are you trying to kill us?”

Taryn smiled, a tear slipping down her cheek. “She is.” She swiped at her face. “And you know you did that for us, too, right?”

Kincaid shook her head.

Rebecca wasn’t letting her get away with the denial. “She’s right. You helped us find our dreams first. We may have had a map, but you were the compass. You pointed us in the right direction.”

“Or kicked our asses when we didn’t go the right way,” Liv added.

“You even kicked my ass once,” Finn said with a smirk. “And I kick ass for a living.”

Kincaid laughed, the sound coming out choked.

“We love you, girl,” Taryn said. “You know that.”

Kincaid nodded, the power of that filling her. “I know. I really do.” She dabbed at her eyes. “And that’s why I wanted to give y’all this.” She reached into the bag, her hand trembling a little, and pulled out the three engraved plaques.

“What are those?” Liv asked, eyeing the plaques.

Kincaid stepped away from Ash and opened the door to the first guest room. “It’s to hang outside the room.” She handed Liv the plaque with her name engraved on it. “This room is the Olivia.”