Page 93 of Barbed Wire Fences
I huff out a laugh. “I’m sorry, do you own the Whitewood Creek Community Hospital or something?”
His grin deepens. “No, but Hayes is sort of my brother-in-law now.”
“Huh?”
He laughs and presses a kiss to my lips again. “It’s a long story, but I found out a month ago that I’m sort of related to the Marshall’s.”
I let that sink in. All the time he’s been spending with them, and the way that Molly and Regan hinted at the closer relationship that Rhett’s developed with the family recently.
“I need to hear that story sometime soon.”
“Will you like me less if I’m related to them?”
I throw my head back and laugh lightly, catching his teasing eyes again before I tug his face to mine in a kiss.
“You may be related to the kindest, most successful and wealthy family in Whitewood Creek, but you’ll always be my rough and wild best friend from the trailer park.”
His grin deepens. “Good. Would hate for you to treat me differently now that I’m successful and rich.”
“And so humble too,” I add teasing.
He smirks. “Now tell me. Do you want to work at the hospital here? I don’t want you to feel like you have to just because that’s what I want. We can do the whole long-distance thing if you want to keep traveling, baby, I just want you.”
I nestle my head against his chest, allowing my body to rest in his strong hold. The burden of the past few months is finally lifted from my shoulders, and for the first time in my life, I feel like I’m coming home to a place that I don’t associate with negatively. There isn’t a shred of doubt in my mind what I want and it’s all right here in his arms.
“That’s what I want. I want you. I want us. I want all of this.”
He holds me like that, smiling like a fool as we let the water lap around us just like it did when we were kids. And when our skin starts to prune, and I let out a sleepy yawn he carries me to his truck and gently buckles me in.
“Let’s go home, baby,” he whispers.
Chapter 32 – Rhett
“It’s perfect,” I say, coming up behind Jael and wrapping my hands around her waist as I look at our newly redecorated master bedroom.
Since she’s moved in, she’s completely transformed it. I’d never been big on color coordination or putting in the effort in this room. My bedroom was just a place to sleep, nothing more. But now, she’s flipped the whole place around with little side tables, pictures of us on the wall from when we were younger that I didn’t even know she’d kept and photos of the places we used to love the most growing up.
The lake’s up there, the old church where we’d pick berries, hell, she’s even got a photo of the town’s public school where we went to high school together. It feels like a capstone created just for us, full of the things that brought us together and are keeping us that way.
I spin her around to face me and cup her cheek gently before kissing her on the lips.
“You’re not missing Virginia?” I ask, checking in.
“The only thing I could ever miss is you and I’ve got you now,” she says and hearing that is music to my ears.
“So, what do we need to do before dinner at your mom’s house tonight?” she asks before moving towards the bathroom to change.
“Nothing. I think we’re all set. I’ve got the salad and wine that we’re bringing. Lawson gave me some of the new autumn seltzers the Whitewood Creek brewery just made for the season, too.”
She steps out of the bathroom a few seconds later, wearing one of her usual dresses with her hair tossed up in a bun.
“Come here.” I grip her hips, pulling her close to me and tangling my fingers in her hair before kissing those pouty lips. “Get out to the car before I fuck you over the bed again,” I grumble, and then swat her on the ass as she leaves with a laugh. “I’ll be there in a second, just gotta grab one more thing.”
Jael nods and heads out to my truck without another glance backward. I move to the locked table next to my bed and retrieve my surprise for her. My palms sweat but there’s no hesitation. Tonight, she’ll be mine for good.
Ten minutes later, we’re pulling down Whispering Pines Drive, the place where it all began fifteen years ago. My mom is already waiting for us on the front lawn, and the way her face lights up when she sees Jael is enough to reassure me that I’m doing the right thing.
She rushes out to meet us, wrapping Jael in a hug like she’s been waiting for this moment forever. And maybe she has been.
