15. Clara

Chapter 15

Clara

The next morning, I wake up next to Ethan with a smile on my face. We spent the night making love and confessing our feelings over and over. Yesterday was full of highs and lows, but I feel settled in a way I don't remember feeling before. I still have no idea what I want to do with my life, but it doesn't matter in the slightest. I have forever to figure it out.

First, I need to call my family. I'm nervous. I asked Miles and Hunter not to tell the rest of the family what happened yesterday when I called to tell them I was staying with Ethan and that I was okay. I set up a family call for early this morning and it's time.

I try to slip out of bed without waking Ethan, but he grabs me around the waist as I try to move. "Are you sneaking out?"

"No, I have to talk to my family in ten minutes," I whisper, hoping he'll go back to sleep.

"Do you want me with you? I know you're nervous and I promise to keep my mouth shut unless someone is mean." He kisses my shoulder, distracting me from what we were just talking about.

"Stop distracting me. Yes, I think I would like you there, as long as you stay quiet and don't try to make out with me or something while my parents are on the phone. If you're good, I might even introduce you to the whole crazy, nosey St. James clan."

His eyes twinkle as he watches me get out of bed, exposing my body to him before I cover it up with a sundress and pull my hair back.

"I promise to be on my best behavior as long as you promise to take that off and get back in this bed when you're done."

I lean across the bed and give him a quick kiss. "I promise. Now get up, I only have five minutes till they call."

I don't wait for him to get up since I know he'll follow me. I walk to the entertainment room where we have set up a screen for the call. I usually do Facetime on my phone, but this time it will be the whole family and not just a one-on-one conversation.

The first to call in is Wilder, with Ivy sitting beside him holding their baby Jovie. Oh, how I miss her sweet little face. "Hey, Clara Bear," my big brother says with a smile.

"Hey, big guy. Ivy, Jovie looks like she's doubled in size since I left. I miss all of you so much."

Ivy smiles. "We miss you, too."

Ethan walks into the room and sits just out of the range of the camera. I look over at him and he shakes his head slightly. He wants me to do this myself. He knows I can stand on my own two feet, so he's just here to watch me shine.

My brother Knox and his wife Scarlett join next, and we all exchange greetings. Then

Miles and Hunter join us from the hotel. My parents are the last to join and suddenly I'm staring at my whole family waiting to hear why I wanted to speak to them.

"Um, so you know that I've been working toward my CPA and that I have been so excited about having a real job at St. James C & D."

They all nod, still unsure of where this is going.

"How angry would you all be if I said that I don't want to be a CPA, that I don't think I want to work for the family business at all?"

Stunned silence greets me until Wilder speaks. "Did you figure it out?"

"Figure what out?" I ask.

Knox answers, "That we love you no matter what. That you don't have to work with us for you to be one of us?"

They are all nodding at me, and Hunter looks particularly pleased with himself.

"How did you know?" I ask. Is this something they were all waiting for me to realize?

"Hunter pointed it out and that's why he and Miles came to see you. I don't think we expected you to completely change your mind, but we hoped that on this trip you would realize there was something else out there for you." My mom is sniffling as she answers my question.

"I have found something else, but I don't actually know what it is yet. I want to take time to discover what I want to do."

My dad lets me know in his no-nonsense way that this is a smart idea, but then I drop a bombshell on the family.

"There's one more thing." I hold my hand out to Ethan and pull him next to me. "I met someone on this trip, and I plan to take that time to discover my next steps with him."

"Hi, St. James family." Ethan's face is turning red, but when he looks at me, he smiles so big that his dimples show, and I fall even deeper in love.

Everyone starts talking at once, but I just keep looking into his eyes. Finally, I hear Knox say, "Ethan, you look a lot older than my little sister."

"Oh my gosh, Knox St. James. I thought that we put the age thing to bed with Wilder and Ivy. Age gap romances are super in fashion right now and sometimes it takes an older man with maturity to know he's got a good thing in a younger woman," I scold.

"We're out." Miles and Hunter close their chat windows, not wanting to get in the middle of this argument.

"I didn't marry a younger woman," Knox argues. "I married someone my age."

"Yes, big brother, but did you have to get a little older and wiser before you knew just how amazing and perfect Scarlett is and how to love her the way she deserved?"

"Touche, little sister."

The two married couples look at each other with love in their eyes. I give my brothers a hard time, but I've always been overjoyed with their happiness in their marriages. I wish the same for Miles and Hunter…and myself.

"So, Ethan, what do you do?" My mother asks, ignoring the arguing between her children like usual.

"I used to own a company, but now I just travel."

"You don't do anything else? No plans for a new job or what you'll do when you come back to Star Mountain with Clara?" my dad asks.

Ethan and I exchange a look. This is the part I'm going to get the most pushback on.

"I'm not coming back to Star Mountain – not permanently. I'm going to keep my house, and Ethan and I will visit often, but we plan to travel together and visit all the places that are on the list we've made together."

They all sit and stare at me. I'm afraid we've lost the connection, but then I see Scarlett smile. She's always been my biggest cheerleader and I can see in her face that she loves this plan for me.

Ivy's next when she says, "Clara, I'm so proud of you for putting yourself out there and taking this leap. I think it's an amazing idea. Ethan, we can't wait to get to know you better. If our Clara is fond of you, then I'm sure we will be too."

I see her hit Wilder with her elbow. "I'm…" he stops and looks over at his wife and daughter, "will this make you happy?"

I nod my head. "Ethan makes me so happy, Wilder, and spending time with him makes me feel like I can do anything."

"Then this is exactly what you should be doing. I know that I'm the worst about treating you like you're still a little girl, but I know you're not. I'm so proud of who you've become and so grateful that you are my baby sister. This is a brave thing you are doing, setting off into the unknown, but if that man sitting next to you makes you happy then you are about to go on life's greatest adventure."

There are tears in my eyes. Wilder has always been my real favorite big brother, not that I would ever admit that out loud, and having his approval means everything.

Ethan, who has sat quietly through the whole exchange, decides to chime in. "She makes me the happiest man alive. I'm the lucky one and I just want you all to know that I will take care of her and treasure her like she deserves."

Some sort of masculine nod passing of the torch happens between Wilder, Knox, Dad, and Ethan. It's weird and also sweet. I guess he has their approval. We wrap up the conversation with a promise to come back to Star Mountain after our time in Naples.

"You survived your first St. James family meeting," I exclaim as Ethan picks me up to carry me back to our bedroom.

"I did and so did you. You were brilliant."

"Even when I gave my brothers hell and called you an old man?" Ethan isn't that much older than me, and I think his maturity just makes him that much sexier.

"I think you said older man, not old," he corrects me.

"Are you sure? Maybe your memory isn't what it used to be. You should probably put me down, I don't want to hurt you. Old men have to be careful when it comes to strenuous activity." I barely get the last sentence out, I'm laughing so hard.

"I'll show you what an older man can do," he says as he throws me onto the bed and makes love to me.