Page 38 of Seven Year Itch
Trista reaches up and rubs Johanna’s arm encouragingly as her lip quivers. Both of their eyes fill with tears as she pauses and focuses her attention to Wyatt and Trista. “First of all, I want to welcome Trista’s sister Vada and her partner Kai here with us this evening. Thank you so much for making the trip all the way here from Hawaii. We love your sister very much, and she means the absolute world to us.”
Vada smiles and nods, her eyes finding Trista’s across the table before refocusing on Johanna who breathes heavily, as if preparing herself for the next bit.
“And Trista... my little mountain woman. The number of times I’ve thanked my lucky stars you came into Wyatt’s life is insurmountable. Of all my boys, he was always the toughest one for me to crack.”
“Grumpy bastard,” Calder says with a cough into his fist, and the whole table chuckles, grateful for the moment of levity.
Wyatt scowls at his brother, but when he looks back to Trista, his eyes sparkle with adoration.
“But for you... he fell completely apart. You did more than just love my son and turn him into a father. You turned him intohisfather.” Johanna pauses as her voice catches in her throat, but she smiles gallantly through her tears. “And I know you never got to meet Steven, but he was one for the books. I see so much of him in Wyatt tonight, and I can’t thank you enough for bringing a piece of him to us this evening.”
Wyatt’s eyes are red-rimmed as he pulls Trista’s hand up and presses a chaste kiss to the top of her knuckle. She leans in, wrapping her arm around him with tears falling freely down her cheeks.
“My whole life I wondered what it would be like to have a daughter. And now I am about to have two daughters and two granddaughters.” She raises her flute to Cozy and then back to Everly and Stevie. “It feels good to even out these wild Fletcher boys at long last.”
“Hear! Hear!” Everly peals excitedly, and everyone laughs.
“Welcome to the family, and if Wyatt ever screws up, don’t you worry because I’ll always be here for you like you’re my own.”
That last comment sends Trista over the edge, and she releases a soft sob as she stands and wraps her arms around Johanna. The whole table is filled with tears; I even spot Calder wiping away some moisture. Trista’s sister watches everyone with rapt fascination, clearly still getting her bearings with this family her sister has found.
And what a family it is.
Perhaps my life would have turned out very differently if I’d had unconditional, unwavering support and love. And good examples of love. Maybe then I wouldn’t have been so hyper-focused on getting married and finding my HEA that I would have seen the red flags Randal waved.
The ocean waves crash onto the darkened beach outside as I stand on the other side of the big round bed in the sexiest pajamas that I packed for this trip.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a negligée or anything. Just a pale green tank top and matching boy shorts. But admittedly, the built-in bra makes my boobs look good. And while, yes, I know nothing will happen between me and Calder, I still feel the urge to look good in front of him. Especially after getting a look at his body after his shower earlier today.
There is no denying Calder Fletcher is insanely hot. I knew it from the first time I met him at that poker night at Max’s house over seven years ago. Cozy was the nanny living in the guest house out back, and I was stopping by to pick her up. I didn’t have to go through the main house to let her know I was there, but I wanted to get a look at the man my bestie was working for.
And I got a look at all those men.
The Fletcher family is well known in the Boulder, Colorado community—mostly Max with his ever-growing company. But the other three Fletcher boys have developed a good reputation for their house-flipping and development projects around town. My house issue with Calder would be an exception to that reputation, I suppose.
Their reputation with the women of Boulder is just as well known.
Calder steps out of the bathroom in a pair of black boxer briefs and no shirt, causing butterflies to erupt in my belly the instant our eyes connect. I quickly slip into the bed before he can get a good look at me, feeling suddenly foolish for being dressed in such revealing sleepwear.
“What is that?” Calder points to the line of pillows I put down the center of the bed.
“A boundary,” I state pointedly sitting up to gesture to his half of the bed. “My side, your side.”
“Your side is bigger.”
“Well, I’m a girl,” I reply with a shrug. “And I wanted a little extra buffer in case you have wandering hands in the night.”
“Wandering hands?” He points to his sculpted chest with an offended look. “Do I look like I’d have wandering hands?”
“Do you want to sleep in this bed or not?”
“Hell yes.” He jumps onto the mattress like a child. “I’m going to sleep like a rock in this thing.”
“Just stay on your side and everyone will have a good night.”
“Whatever you say, boss.”
I lean over and click the lamp off, bathing us both in complete darkness, save for the moonlight streaming in through the open balcony. The sea breeze blows the canopy that hangs around the top half of the bed, and the longer we lie in silence staring up at the ceiling, the more nervous I begin to feel.
