Page 41 of Eyes Like a Hurricane

“Naked it is then,” he says with a straight face, and I grin.

He lets go, and we climb up to the pillows before getting underneath the covers. He opens his arm to the side, and I take that as my invitation to rest in the crook of his shoulder. His heart beats in a strong cadence.

“Goodnight, handsome,” I sigh with a smile as my eyes begin to droop shut.

I can’t remember ever falling this hard or this fast for someone. I feel as though I have known him for an eternity. As if our souls have been intertwined in past lives, only to reconnect with each rebirth. He seems to understand me, without having to say a word, anticipating my every need or want. I love how he wants to protect me, care for me, and is excited to hear ofmy daily achievements. Being near him makes me feel like the missing part of my heart and soul has been filled.

I fall asleep next to him, excited to see what tomorrow will bring. I hope I will get to do this routine for the rest of our lives. It seems too soon to feel like this, but I remember Mom telling me it took an hour on a riverwalk for her to know Dad was it for her. I didn’t believe her until this moment. I thought she was idealizing her relationship with Dad or that she was just one of the lucky ones who found her counterpart in this world.

As I listen to our breaths synchronizing with the promise of sleep, I begin to believe every word she told me. Who would have thought my match was only a few miles from my childhood home this whole time. Maybe me being drawn back to this area was the magnetic pull of our two souls.

Lachlan kisses my hair and pulls me closer to him until every inch of our bodies is connected.

“Go to sleep, sweetheart. I can hear the gears in your mind whirring. I will see your beautiful eyes in the morning,” he mumbles into my hair.

Within minutes, our breathing and heartbeats sync into a steady rhythm, and we drift into the dark abyss of dreams.

Chapter 35

Aislinn

Wednesday, June 14

The coffee shop is in full swing this morning. I’m on the early side, as Noah and Callum made it clear they needed Lachlan up at the crack of dawn to help get the ranch ready for their clients today. The phone call at 6:30 a.m. was Noah’s version of a courtesy call, though his bedside manner was lacking. When Lachlan picked up the phone, we heard Noah’s gruff voice loud and clear, “I need you in the stables by 7:30 a.m.” Then he hung up.

Lachlan laughed when I asked if he was the boss or if Noah was.

His response was, “Ingrid and I may be the bosses, but Noah is bossy. He keeps us in check, and right now, it's helpful since my mind is a little distracted.”

With a sly grin, he decided to prove his point by placing his mouth on my neck as his hands roamed my body.

I feel my cheeks flush at the memory as I approach the front to order. Today, Ava is at the cash register. She's dressed in a cute little retro dress. The navy dress has a sailor collar and brass buttons on each hip. It flares at the waist and gives her an innocent look. Her make-up is neutral, but her hair is braidedlike Anne Shirley's. I smile, wondering if I could have pulled off this look during my teenage years. She maybe weighs one hundred pounds dripping wet. She looks adorable.

I look down and acknowledge I’m wearing black and red leggings and an off-the-shoulder t-shirt. It's my backup outfit, which I keep in the trunk for emergencies. I definitely didn’t plan to wear this as a fashion statement. If anyone asks, I plan on cleaning and moving files around all day. Yes, that’s my story. I reflexively reach up to fix my bun, checking to make sure I don't look like I just stepped out of a wind tunnel backward.

“Welcome to Sleepy Mountain Roasters! Congratulations! You made it out of bed and out of your pajamas! How can we make your day more brew-tiful?” Ava says with a cadence to her voice that I must say, I’m not ready to take on yet.

I try not to cringe, as I’m not the hold-hands-and-sing-around-the-campfire kind of girl in the morning. I place my customer service smile on my face, trying to think of a snappy comeback. Thank you, a latte? I may not have had coffee yet, but I’m not depresso? Since I can’t buy happiness, I'll buy coffee? I can't tell if her greeting was canned by corporate or from her imagination.

I play along and say, “Hit me with your best shot… of decaf and oat milk. Thanks a latte, Ava.”

She giggles. “Oh, that’s a good one, Doc. I think we can brew you up something special. I didn’t really come up with that line. Mr. Tollefson, I mean Anders, has these cute little stickers. I think they are, like, to go on your laptops or notebooks, maybe? Well, he has a whole display,” she says, pointing to a tiered display of vinyl stickers. “I read them the other day and thought I could add some to my greeting. What do you think?”

I browse the selection and see about four that are pretty funny. I see the one Ava said and two others meant for a significant other. My favorite is ‘Where have you bean my whole life’ with two little coffee beans kissing. It makes me think of Lachlan, but I don’t think we are at the point in our relationship where he would find a vinyl sticker endearing.

One day, I can get him a travel mug and decorate it with all the little stickers to personalize it. My relationship goals are ridiculous. I could think of it as supporting Anders' shop while giving Lachlan something to remind him of me. Future me will need to remember this gift idea. At least I know when his birthday is now.

Just as my phone rings, Ava calls, “Aislinn?” I grab my coffee from the bar top. So far, one of the best parts about living in a small town might be their ability to remember and say my name correctly, even when I give them the canned ‘Lynn’ I always gave in Seattle.

I give a little wave and exclaim, “You mocha my day better, Ava!”

Laughing, she waves and then grabs her notepad to write something down. I will laugh if I hear her use that phrase the next time I’m in the shop. I get the feeling she'll spend her downtime brainstorming coffee puns.

I see Paisley appear on my screen and tap to answer her call.

“Girl, how is the new clinic? I know we have been texting off and on each day. I want to hear your voice, feel the emotion behind your response, and read into every little nuance about Lachlan,” she says.

I choke on my drink.

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