Page 49 of Take Me to the Valley

“We wanted to swing by and check in on you, and bring some food to give Calista a break on cooking one night,” Hope says.

I let them in and Calista gives me a look.

“I can’t believe you opened the door with a gun,” Calista huffs, giving Hope a hug.

“Oh, it’s normal with the men out here,” Hope says. “They move to the mountains because they don’t want unexpected guests. Bennett has greeted me with a shotgun in my face. Every time I visit Jana, Cole opens the door with a gun, even when he knows I’m coming,” Hope says like it’s nothing. They both head to the kitchen to put the casserole away.

“I’ve talked to Cole many times about that one,” Cash grumbles.

“I don’t think you will ever get him to break that habit. Not when the whole reason he met his wife is because someone kidnapped her,” I say.

Cash sighs, but there is a hint of a grin there.

Both Hope and Jana were kidnapped by Hope’s mother. Cole was one of the men who raided the cabin before I could get the other cops there. I didn’t approve of how he handled it. Now, I know if it had been Calista in there, I wouldn’t have followed protocol either. Also, I know without a shred of doubt that Cash and the other guys would have been right on my side.

When Cole walked in and saw Jana there, that was it. He’s been obsessed ever since. Wouldn’t leave her side, and the two of them are happily in love.

“You up for some company? Hope has been talking my ear off about spending more time with Calista since the girls met up at the bakery,” Cash says.

It appears that the girls have settled in the kitchen talking and Calista already has a large smile on her face. Right now, she looks at home and I want her to know there is more to a life with me then just sex. She can have a life here.

“Yeah, some company would be great,” I say, as we sit on the couch.

When I bought it, I wanted to fill this house with family and friends. Suddenly it hits me it might not have been theconventional way of doing things, but that is exactly what’s happening. And I’m than happy with it.

Chapter 25

Calista

The last two weeks have sped by faster than I wanted them to. During the day, Evan had a few doctor appointments, which cut into our alone time. He’s been cleared by his doctor and is starting physical therapy. After proving he could manage around the house, I ran out of excuses to stay. Today Cody made a big deal about helping me move back to my own place.

Sneaking around at night once Skye is in bed seemed easy at first, but it started to wear on us both. He asked me every night to stay in bed with him, but I insisted on going back to my room. Last night, he followed me. He said if it’s our last night together, he was going to spend every minute with me. In short, neither of us got much sleep.

I don’t want to go, but he hasn’t asked me to stay. Now, with everything in me, I want him to ask me again. This last week showed me right here is everything I want. But I told him earlier I wanted to get him out of my system. I said this was over whenI went home. It’s what I thought was right. But in the last two weeks? All that has changed.

He seems so set on the two-week timeline. Now I’m feeling he’s changed his mind. And it sucks. With my brother here helping me move back and shooting the shit with Evan, it’s not like I can bring it up.

I already decided I’m going to use the excuse of Kaylee needing me to get out of family dinner this weekend. It’s just too fresh and I won’t have my wall up enough to sit in the same room with him. Though I haven’t told anyone about me missing dinner, yet I know Kaylee will cover for me at a moment’s notice.

“Looks like this is the last bag. I swear your things multiplied while you were here,” Cody says, holding my duffle bag.

“Why don’t you take that to the car, and I’ll do one more sweep of the house?” I’m hoping to have even just a minute alone with Evan.

“Skye, why don’t you go help Uncle Cody?” Evan asks.

Fortunately, she doesn’t ask questions, but runs over to Cody, takes his free hand in hers, and they head to my car.

Once they leave, I go upstairs to the room I was using with Evan close on my heels. He walks in behind me, closes the door, and then pins me to it.

The heat in his eyes has my heart racing with the hope he might say something. Maybe he will ask me to stay or at the very least say he isn’t ready to end this. His eyes search mine and I try to tell him without words how I feel. That I want him and all that entails. But it’s like there is a wall, and he isn’t getting the message.

“One last kiss,” he whispers before his lips land on mine.

I want to cry. There’s no way I want this to be our last kiss. I want to yell that I changed my mind, but Cody is downstairs, and Evan seems pretty set on his choice. This is the bed I made. Now I have to sleep in it, as my mom would say.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I put everything I have into that kiss. I don’t want to leave anything on the table. When he breaks off, we are both breathing heavy. It’s my last chance to say something, but I chicken out. I’ve always been one to let the guy take the lead, and I never chased anyone. So to be the one to make the move and say I changed my mind isn’t something that comes naturally. Instead, I let the moment slip by.

“I’ll go check the laundry to make sure you didn’t forget anything.” He opens the door and slips into the hallway.

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