Page 87 of Chase Our Forever

Pippa places a hand to her chest as she lets out a relieved sigh. “I was so worried. I may have accidentally bullied every doctor and nurse out there to give me details on if you’d be okay.”

We all let out a laugh as our loved ones begin to filter into the small hospital room.

Dad waits in the open doorway as he pulls his phone from his pocket. “Your mom stayed home with Clara in case she were to wake up, but I’m going to give her a call to let her know Liv’s okay.”

I nod, unable to fight a smile as everyone piles around the hospital bed to speak with Liv. I hope this makes her realize how many people care about her here in Sutten. I know she’s said she didn’t grow up with a family, but hopefully, this proves to her that family doesn’t have to be blood. It can be an unlikely group of people who care about you, who drop everything to search for you in the middle of the night.

I hope she feels the love in the room. It’s not just me that loves her. It’s everyone.

She’s found a home and a family. She belongs here with all of us. And I’m so fucking thankful that the events from tonight didn’t take her from us.

51

LIV

I anxiously rollmy bottom lip between my teeth as I stare at Dean, trying to read his reaction as he stares at the art pieces I commissioned for his birthday. It’s been a little over two weeks since my accident and exactly two weeks since his birthday, but it’s better late than never to give him the gifts. Because of the accident, we waited to celebrate fully until I’d had time to recover. Plus, it took longer than expected to get them back from the tow company. He didn’t even begin to track them down until a week after the accident; his focus was too much on making sure I was recovering from the crash, even though I kept telling him I was fine.

Dean runs a hand over his mouth, his eyes staring at the three pieces in front of him. I try not to focus on how good he looks. He wears a pair of dark jeans that fit him perfectly and a long-sleeved shirt that hugs his biceps like a glove. We’re waiting for Shirley to come pick up Clara for a sleepover before Dean and I go out to celebrate his birthday with friends, hence why he’s dressed up for a Saturday night. I wanted to make sure to give him his gift with Clara around so she could see them, too.

Clara and I have had a special relationship since the moment I met her. From the very beginning, we had a connection. Butin the weeks since the accident, we’ve grown even closer. Dean insisted I rest as much as possible, and Clara took it upon herself to keep me company. She’d barely let me out of her sight in the hours she was awake. We’ve watched countless movies in bed together, and I don’t know how many butterflies I’ve drawn for her. But the time with her while taking it easy has been incredibly special, making me even more excited for her to see the gifts I had commissioned for her dad.

“Do you like them?” I ask Dean, my pulse spiking with nerves. He’s so quiet as he looks at them that I can’t get a good read on him.

When his eyes meet mine, they’re misted over. “Ilovethem.”

Clara comes running down the stairs with a pink backpack on. She skips to us, stopping when she sees the three paintings. “That’s me!” she yells excitedly, pointing to the picture of her Axel had painted. I’d given him three photos I’d taken of Dean and Clara and asked him to paint them on large canvases. My vision was for Dean to hang them in the living room and bring a few more personal touches to the house.

“Thatisyou,” I tell her, fixing the braid I’d given her a few hours ago. I look at Dean, finding him already watching me with a slight smile playing on his lips.

“I didn’t want to overstep, but I felt like the house could use a little more personality. I thought these would be perfect to hang here in the living room.”

Dean’s eyes stay on me, the slight smile not faltering. “You could never overstep. This is your home, too, sunshine.”

Clara yanks on my arm, pulling my attention from Dean for a moment. “Livvy, where’s your picture?” she asks, her eyes bouncing over each piece. There’s a painting recreating a photo I’d taken of Clara while on a walk with Honey, one of Dean and Clara on the porch swing, and one of Clara holding Honey in front of the fireplace.

“Oh, I don’t need one.” A slight blush creeps up my cheeks. I’m not sure we even have a photo of the three of us, not that I was expecting to have a photo of me hung anyway. I commissioned these pieces before things between Dean and I evolved into how we are now.

It’s crazy to think how much has changed for us in a short amount of time. It doesn’t seem like that long ago I was just starting out as Clara’s nanny. I’d quickly developed a crush on Dean and daydreamed about what it’d be like to kiss him. Now, I get to kiss the man I’m in love with—and the man who loves me back—anytime I want.

“But Daddy told me last night he loves you. That you’re family, too, now. You need a picture.”

My chest hitches as my eyes find Dean’s. We’d been slowly easing into telling Clara that things had progressed between him and me. But he’d asked me last night if I was okay with him telling her that I’ll be sticking around for a long time and that I’m now his girlfriend. I’d told him I was happy with whatever he was comfortable with; I just hadn’t known when exactly he’d talk to her.

I’m not sure I’d expected him to tell her that he loves me.

Dean closes the distance between us and lifts Clara into his arms. He looks from his daughter to me. “I think you’re right. We need to get Livvy a picture on our wall soon. Maybe even with all of us, our family.”

This makes Clara smile. Her eyes are bright as she looks at me. “You be in our family, Livvy?”

“Yes, Clara. I’d love that.” I can’t fight the tears that stream down my cheeks. All I wanted to do was gift Dean some art pieces to hang on the wall and bring more life to the house. I didn’t realize it would turn into him and Clara making my heart burst with joy.

I attempt to wipe underneath my eyes without messing up the makeup I’d carefully applied. I’d tried curling my hair and letting it fall over my forehead where my stitches were just removed, but the scar is still noticeable. My goal was to put a little more makeup on than normal to distract from the evidence of my accident.

In Florida, I didn’t have friends to even go out with, so I’m extra excited about tonight. We’re planning on telling everyone we’re officially together. Although we both agree that with his concern about the accident, and his reaction in the weeks after, no one in his family or any of our friends will be shocked.

“Clara, should we show Livvy the surprise we got her?” Dean asks, kissing the top of his daughter’s head.

Clara excitedly claps in his arms. “Yes!”

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