Her parents had tried to make upfor it by offering to help her in any way they could. On their recommendation,she had started seeing a therapist in the city. Her mom was anxious to see herand take care of her. Before the conversation was even over, her mom had sentan email to Devon with a plane ticket home, so she could visit soon. Devon actuallyplanned to use this ticket. Now that she could be honest, she was lookingforward to spending time with her mom.
After everything with Reid, hermother was worried about where Devon would go and what she would do. Hermother didn’t like the idea of Devon being back at Wash U with Reid, so Devonhad finally told her parents that she had decided not to go back to school. She thought it would be best to at least take off the semester, so she could dedicateherself to recovery.
Her parents had offered to gether an apartment in Chicago since she had decided to stay, but Devon haddeclined. Hadley and Garrett had made it clear that she was welcome in theirplace for as long as she wanted. She didn’t like being alone, so that workedout for her. Plus, it gave her the opportunity she needed to spend more timewith her friend, like she had wanted to from the beginning, and then she could beginto rebuild that bond with Garrett.
Brennan had also told Devon thatshe could stay with him, but she had turned him down as well. As much as sheliked Brennan, she couldn’t let her life revolve entirely around a guy again. He had accepted her response with grace. It didn’t really matter anyway sinceshe spent so much time with him. The distance just helped ground her and giveher space when she needed it.
“I can’t believe school starts ina couple weeks, and I won’t be going back,” Devon said, staring out the window.
“You could still go back if youwanted,” Brennan said.
He was always encouraging her togo back. She knew he wanted her to finish her degree, and when the time wasright, she wanted to finish it. But now wasn’t that time.
“I don’t think so. I can’t goback to that just yet. I need to get myself right first.”
“I know. I just don’t want youto think that you shouldn’t go back…” He trailed off with an awkward pause.
She caught his meaning and turnedto face him. “Do you think I’m staying because of you?”
“I don’t want that to be yourreason.”
“I want to be with you. I wantto be in Chicago with you, but I’m not staying for you…if that makes sense. Iknow I need to finish college and get a job and all that. I just feel likeI’ll never really do any of that well enough if I’m not well enough mentally. That’s why I’m staying. This is what I need,” she tried to explain.
“Okay. Good,” he said, smirkingat her. “That’s what I wanted to hear.”
Devon relaxed back into the seat,feeling better now that she had explained herself. Therapy had helped withthat. She found herself explaining everything to people. It was better thanholing up inside of herself and being terrified of what she might say. Atleast now, she had a sense of control over what went on in her life. Brennanseemed to like it. He was her number one supporter. He always encouraged herto express her feelings and listened to her opinions.
“So, where are we going anyway?”she asked.
“You’ll see.” He smiled at hersecretively.
Devon narrowed her eyes. “Is ita secret?”
“You could say that.”
“Can I guess?” She bit her lipand tucked one foot underneath her.
“No,” he said. “I’m not givinganything away. You’ll like it…I think.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” shesaid. She crossed her legs pretzel-style and stared out at the changinglandscape.
Brennan pulled off of I-94 andstarted veering through the streets. The area was nice, and Devon foundherself admiring the beauty and simplicity of life in the suburbs. Her parentslived in the suburbs, and while this was nothing like southern Nashville, ithad the same feeling.
“This area is beautiful. Whereare we?” Devon asked as they crested a hill.
She sat up taller in her seat andstared out at the shore of Lake Michigan. It stretched for miles and milespast her line of sight. It was gorgeous and glorious in its magnitude.
“The North Shore. Evanston,” hetold her, driving down the hill.
“Wow,” she breathed, transfixedon the passing scenery.
Brennan slowed to a stop in frontof a large all-brick house on a plot that bordered the lake. “This is where Igrew up,” he said softly.
Devon’s eyes left the house andlanded back on Brennan. “This is…your dad’s house?” she asked, feeling overwhelmedthat he would bring her here.
“Yeah. It was. Mine now…I guess,”he told her, pulling into the driveway.
After the car came to a stop, Devonopened the car door and slid out of the seat. Brennan popped the trunk andpulled out his guitar case. Devon smiled. She liked seeing him with that. Hehad been playing and singing to her a lot more when she was at his place. Itrelaxed her and brought her back to the first gig she had ever seen himperform. She had been so caught up in him and his music that she had left thevenue. She hadn’t trusted herself to be with him then. Her feelings were toostrong even at that time.
They walked up to the front door,and Brennan just stood there with the key in his hand. He took a deep breathand slid the key into the slot. He turned the door and immediately disabled analarm system. Devon cautiously stepped inside, feeling almost as if she weretrespassing. But this was Brennan’s home. He owned it. It belonged to him. It was somehow still a part of him.
He stood next to her, his musclestensed, as he breathed in the emptiness that was
