Page 52 of All of My Life

“Oh, okay,” I muttered.

“Detectives, I think you’re done there,” he said, brooking no room for argument. “If you want to talk to my son or daughter-in-law again, you’ll do it with our lawyers.”

“Oh…uhm…” Detective Tyler stammered. “Our apologies. We hadn’t been informed of…of a marriage.”

“We have her as Ms. Morgan,” Detective Ramirez added.

Not clarifying, Randall said, “Good day, Detectives.”

“Of course, Mr. Carver,” Detective Ramirez said as he stood up, Detective Tyler following suit.

Chasin and I walked them to the door, and I felt bad for them. They were just trying to do their jobs, and it wasn’t an easy one. As I shook their hands, I wondered who was worse for them, lying criminals or people like the Carvers.

“We’ll reach out if we have any additional questions,” Detective Tyler said. “Thank you for your time, Mr. Carver.” Then looking at me, she added. “Mrs. Carver.”

“I-”

“You’re welcome, Detectives,” Chasin replied, cutting off my attempt to correct them on my name.

As soon as the door shut behind them, Chasin turned, then wrapped his arms around my waist. “You can’t tell me that you didn’t like the way that sounded,” he said, his lip curling in a sexy smile. “I know I like the way it sounds.”

“That’s not my name,” I argued.

“It’s going to be,” he countered.

“When I’m ready,” I said, agreeing but still needing time.

Chasin’s blue eyes regarded me sweetly. “I’ll need you ready no later than tomorrow,” he teased.

Feeling my heart beat wildly for this boy, I said, “How about we compromise?”

“I’m listening.”

“A long engagement,” I suggested. “If it’s a ring that you want on my finger, then I’ll wear one, but we don’t get married until I feel that I’m in a place where I can trust the decisions that I’m making for myself.” Going with honesty, I added, “I’ve never trusted anything about us before, Chasin.”

Instead of getting upset, he just smirked. “That’s okay. I’m confident enough about our relationship for the both of us.”

Once again, I made the decision to let Chasin Carver lead, and I was okay with that.

Epilogue

Chasin – (Ten Years Later)~

It was my birthday today, and I knew that there was no getting out of going to my parents tonight. We had a different relationship from the one that we’d had during my teenage years, and it would upset Jett if I cancelled on them. I didn’t consider my birthday a big deal, but everyone else did, so I suffered through the extravagant production for my wife.

Three months after Thomas and Fern Morgan had gone down in flames, Jett and I had moved to California where my father had been able to get her enrolled in school with me. I’d gotten my MBA, and Jett had gotten a degree in computer science. Two years after that, I had forced her to marry me, then four years after that, my wife had given birth to our first child. Two years later, she’d given birth to our second child, so my parents were always looking for excuses to see their grandchildren, my birthday being one of those excuses.

I also went to work for Carver Industries right after college, the decision forcing us to move back to Carver, Connecticut. With everyone from her past gone, Jett hadn’t argued against coming back here, and I knew that I would always owe my father for that. While everyone had already served their time, the shame had run them out of Carver, and it was like a distant memory for the city, even if it’d never be for me or Jett. She still saw a therapist, and when she needed me to, she allowed me to go with her.

So, while I helped my father run Carver Industries, Jett worked from home, and that was good for someone with her solitary personality. She worked for a marketing firm, and she was able to work remotely from home, making the father in me feel better about not needing strangers to help raise our kids. So many people in the world had no choice, and I was grateful not to be one of those people.

“So, how many excuses have you thought of so far?”

I looked up to see Jett walking into my office, the only person that was allowed to do so without permission. “A million.”

She grinned. “Well, if it’s any consolation, your mother called me to ask me if the kids could spend the night after dinner,” she said. “She wants to take them to the church fundraiser tomorrow.”

As soon as Jett was within reach, I grabbed her hips, then yanked her towards me. I dropped my head against her stomach, every stressful part of my day vanishing with the nearness of her, the smell of her, with everything about her. I hadn’t been lying when I’d told my father that I was marrying for love, and I also hadn’t been lying when I’d told Jett that I would always love her. Having loved her since I was five, I was incapable of not loving this woman.

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