Fading Magic (Book 5 of the Ink Series)

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I don't confront my dad because Slade tells me not to. And that's the only advice I take because nobody else handed any out or knows what happened.

I wouldn't know what to do anyways.

I rub the back of my neck, taking a good look at myself in the bathroom mirror. My mom is on the way home with Griffin and I am about to see him for the first time since we left Cherry.

It doesn't make me mad she kept him busy for the first part of my homecoming, I don't blame her. Who wants to put a young kid through so much change all the time?

I pace the room, I flip through magazines, I do anything I can to try and hold it together. I'm worried Griffin and I have lost the bond we once had.

And when I see her headlights I freeze, waiting for the footsteps on the porch. It all happens so fast, the door opens and he's looking at me. And I'm looking at him.

I cock my head to the side and take him in. "Griff."

He drops his overnight bag on the floor and cocks his head to the side mocking me, his little hands going on his hips. "Hope."

There's a bit of silence and then he takes off for me. He wraps his arms around me and it's hard to hold it together.

"Looks like someone is happy to see you," Slade says joining us in the foyer. My mom smiles, just as happy everything has gone well so far.

Griffin lets me go and walks right up to Slade. He touches his arm, admiring all his tattoos. "These are cool." Slade lifts him up and he touches his lip ring and runs a couple fingers across the bill of Slade's hat.

Slade grins. "Thanks. I think they are too. Nice to meet you Griffin, you're sister told me a lot about you."

Mom and I watch in awe as Slade gets to know Griffin. Griffin is infatuated with his every move.

"You're my sister's boyfriend." He pulls Slade's aviators from the collar of his shirt and puts them on.

Mom crosses the room. "Hey, Griffin. Wash up and we can have some dessert."

I watch him tackle the stairs and when he's gone I look over at Slade. "He loves you."

My mom nods in agreement. "He so did." She touches Slade's arm. "I think it's safe to say we all do."

Slade tugs his hat down. "Thank you. That means a lot."

My mom shakes her head. "No, thank you for making my daughter happy when everything in her life sucks because of her parents."

I tear up. "Mom."

"What?" She shakes her head. "I'm happy you found someone who makes you happy. It's a blessing."

I hug her and we all go into the living room to wait for Griffin to come back.

"Gary made a cake, sort of a celebration for Griffin having you back," she says.

I clap my hands at the thought of sweets and Slade shakes his head.

"Is she still obsessed with sweets?" My mom laughs, poking at me. "I remember when she would eat all the cookies in the cookie jar when she was little."

Slade smirks. "This one time we went to the fair and she ate three cotton candies."

I roll my eyes. "You are a liar."

The doorbell rings. My mom jumps up.

"I wonder who that could be," I say nestling into Slade on the couch. He smells amazing, and after being such a charmer to my family I want to jump his bones as a thank you.