Jax stayed in bed well after her alarm went off. The first night back in her old home could only be described as odd. She was up late listening to familiar sounds and the echoes of her family stirring. So much noise carried up the stairs into the guest bedroom. She should’ve closed the bedroom door, but the small sounds actually brought more comfort than annoyance. She could never have this in her apartment.

She didn’t spend much of the previous night with Caleb and Gretchen. The scene was too warm and inviting. They didn’t sit in a blanket fort to talk about their days anymore. All of that was gone. They were no longer this close family unit, and believing they could be would be dangerous. Jax was torn between diving in and spending every moment with Gretchen and Caleb or fleeing for good.

She felt hopeful and at peace when she opened her eyes, the complete opposite of the night before. She had no idea where the feeling came from, but she wasn’t about to question it. Jax knew whatever was going on could be fleeting, so she had to embrace it. She listened carefully to the sounds from the kitchen. She checked the time and knew she needed to get moving. She also knew if Gretchen was already in the kitchen, she’d be walking into a disaster if she waited too long. She got out of bed and pulled on a pair of worn sweats over her boxers.

She took the steps slowly and quietly and turned the corner to find Gretchen filling the kettle with water. Jax observed her back and long legs. Yoga pants always looked good on Gretchen. “I thought I heard you in here,” Jax said, stepping into the kitchen and stretching. She wiped at her face and pushed her unruly hair from her forehead. Gretchen didn’t look at her. “Are you making tea?”

Gretchen placed the kettle on the stove and turned the flame to high. “Oatmeal. The coffee’s set to brew at eight.”

“You don’t have to make coffee just for me.”

“It’s for me.”

“I guess I didn’t believe you. You gave up coffee a while ago and became all about teas.” Jax opened the cabinet and pointed to the many boxes of tea to make her point.

“Clearly I went crazy. But I was sane enough yesterday to get Amanda to stop on the way home to get some. I won’t be without coffee again.” Gretchen still wouldn’t look at Jax. “I’ll go for my run, and then I’ll have my coffee. Those two things make me happy.”

“They really did,” she said with a smile, wanting to share her lightness with Gretchen. “I hope I’m here when you take your first sip. I know you had coffee in the hospital, but this will be different.”

Gretchen’s eyes sparkled. “This will be heaven.”