30. Nash

Chapter 30

Nash

I should have finished closing up an hour ago, but I can’t stop replaying everything in my head. Why would she think that I could have anything to do with the library bullshit? The truth is that when the project came up, I had been approached by another property management company in an email asking if I would want to invest in the project. Initially, I said I was interested, but after reviewing the other investors, I said no thank you. I don’t do business with the Sullivans. I never even knew the full project scope and what the investment entailed. I didn’t even make it that far with any of that. How that fuckwad Richie found that out, I have no clue. Snakes have a way of getting in the crevices and wreaking havoc.

This hurts. She broke me years ago, and it feels like she’s doing it again. And this time, it’s worse because if I end up losing Everly, I lose Willow too. I love them both so much.

I cash out the register and shut it down, sliding our bank bag into the safe. I turn when I see the front door to the pub shut heavily, cursing myself for not locking it.

“We’re closed,” I clip in a firm and irritated tone, hoping to deter anyone who was ballsy enough to walk right into an obviously closed pub at three o’clock.

And there she is. She’s standing there in her long coat, pajama pants, a hoodie, and her hair pulled up in a messy knot on top of her head. Her face is hesitant and full of sadness and regret. She looks like a mess. A beautiful mess. My mess.

My heart softens. She’s here.

We stare at each other longer than we should have, and I can’t remember who started moving first, but we move toward each other. Before I can stop myself, my mouth is on hers. She presses hers firmly into mine, and my body relaxes into her.

I wrap my fist around her messy knot of hair and cling to her with relief washing over me.

Am I dreaming?

I must have said that out loud because she snorts with laughter and shakes her head at me.

She smells real, light, fresh, and delicious, and I kiss her again, hoping she feels how much I love her.

“I love you, and I’m sorry, Nash,” she says as I pull back and search her eyes.

“It’s okay, beautiful. ”

“No, I was wrong and immature to walk out like that. I should have let you explain. I trust you, and I love you so much, Nash. I just…I’m a mess. I don’t even know,” she says as her voice cracks a little and wavers.

My hands cup her jaw, and I say, “I would never have invested in that project. When I saw who some of the other investors were, I immediately pulled out. I never even saw where they had planned to put the arena.”

She nods. “I’m so sorry for assuming something like that and listening to Richie. I’m an asshole.”

I shake my head and say softly, “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too. I don’t like fighting with you. It’s the worst.”

“Where’s Willow?” I ask her, relieved that she’s here and we’re fixing this.

“At home. Hayley stayed over, and she’s asleep in the guest room,” she says as her wet eyes reach mine, searching for reassurance.

I let out a deep breath of relief. “We’re going to fight. And then the best part? We’re going to make up. Want to make up with me?” I ask her before my mouth lands on hers, kissing her and pulling her tight into me, my hands on her waist.

She reaches for her coat. I say, “Hold on,” as I jog over and lock the front door and come back to her. With one swoop, I pick her up and throw her over my shoulder while she squeals, and I take her up to my apartment and swing her onto my desk. It overlooks the bar on one side, and on the other is a full panel of windows with a view of the town and mountains .

“Where we started…” I murmur as I kiss her neck.

“We started long before this,” she murmurs back.

“A few weeks ago, when you came up here, I felt like we finally had another chance, and I will do anything not to mess this up again,” I tell her. “Anything for you, Everly.”

I need her, and she needs me.

My hands pull her coat off; her hands unbutton my flannel and pull my T-shirt up and over my head.

I slide her hoodie up over her head, and she’s not wearing a bra, thank fuck. Her nipples are hard and hot for me, and I lean down and take them one by one in my mouth as she arches her back and leans against the window, her palm holding her up. The lights are off, and the only light in the room is the moon shining on us. No one can see us up here, but we have a full view of the town.

“I love you so much, Everly. You’re mine, and I’m yours,” I murmur into her neck, kissing her feverishly with need.

Her hands slide down my hard cock over my jeans, and my breath hitches. I practically hiss I need her so bad as I strain against my zipper.

“I love you, too,” she says as she pushes me back and then turns me around to sit on the desk. She moves between my legs and unbuckles my jeans, and I’m pulling them down as she’s reaching in and wrapping her hand around me.

“We should make up more often.” My breath hitches as she takes her time licking up the side of my cock.

She looks up at me and takes me in her mouth. Her hand moves up and down, and I grit my teeth. “Everly,” I bite out as I hiss and lean back against the window, feeling like my body will explode.

I watch her, and she watches me. She moves her mouth on me, and I finally reach under her arms and pull her up and spin her around to face the window.

I slide her leggings and panties down and reach between her legs. She’s already wet for me.

“Jesus, Everly,” I say as I kiss her neck.

“I need you, Nash,” she whimpers as her body trembles.

“See this town?” I say to her as I enter her. She looks out the window as I slide in and out of her. “No one in this fucking town will ever mess with what we have. We fucking own our story. And no one will take what we have.”

I slam into her over and over, and she cries out my name, her palms on the window as I fill her and feel her body tense and collapse around me.

“No one, Everly. Say it.”

She nods and turns her head, kissing me, and says, “No one.”

“What we have, people write fucking stories about. The way I feel about you is unmatched to anyone else.”

“I love you, whiskey,” she says softly, making me smile.

“I love you too,” I say as I smack her on the ass and go clean up.

“I have to get back to the house. Hayley is sleeping over tonight,” she admits.

“I’m coming with you.” Hayley will kill me in the morning when she comes in and realizes I didn’t finish cleaning up the bar. Tonight, I just want to hold my woman.

I drive us back to her house, and we quietly go in and get into bed, and she curls into me.

I don’t fall asleep as quickly as she does, and I realize I’ve never felt my heart so full before. Whatever happens, whoever comes up against us, we will fight it. Because what we have is worth fighting for.

The following morning, I’m pouring my coffee when my sister comes out of the guest room, yawning. She doesn’t even seem surprised in the least to see me in the kitchen.

I hand her a mug.

“Thanks.” She accepts it and heads to the fridge for creamer.

“I didn’t get the pub cleaned up from last night yet,” I tell her quietly as we stand next to each other at the counter, nursing caffeine.

She shrugs. “I’ll get to it after I get my bread going. I figured you were busy,” she says, giving me a look.

I roll my eyes. “Mom and Dad are coming back in a few days.”

She nods, looking sad. “I don’t want to lose her. I hate that she’s been sick.”

“I know,” I say as I set my cup down and put my arm around her. “It’s going to be okay.”

But the reality is that she’s not doing well, and it probably won’t be okay. But whatever comes our way, we’re a family, and we’ll get through it together.

Hayley heads to the pub to bake, and I bring Everly a coffee. Her dark blond hair is fanned over her pillow, and she is sleeping hard and solid.

I set the mug down on her bedside table, and she opens her eyes and smiles sweetly when she registers me. “Nash.”

I crawl back into bed beside her and pull her in, kissing her head and holding her.

“I have to get up,” she mumbles.

“No, you don’t. Let me get Willow to school, and I’ll come back, and we’ll spend the morning together snuggle fucking.”

She smiles sleepily. “Okay.”

“Tonight is the fall festival, and I wanted to take you and Willow. I noticed it was on your fall bucket list,” I say as I nod toward the direction of the kitchen table, where the brightly colored list waits patiently for Willow to cross off fun items on the list.

“Yeah, that would be really great.” She yawns as she slides her hand into mine, and her eyes drift closed again.

“I also saw your jury duty letter,” I say as I swipe a tendril of her hair back.

Her eyes open again, and she looks at me more awake, propping herself up on an elbow. “Yeah, that’s Richie and his dad messing with me again.”

“I figured. You know we’re going to get that thrown out, and he can probably get fired for that,” I say as I trace her shoulder with my fingers.

“I just want it to stop. I want them to leave me alone.”

I nod. “Me, too. When is the last time Richie saw or spoke to Willow?”

She pauses, trying to remember. “It was sometime in the summer.”

My eyes widen. “That’s been months.”

Unbelievable. I don’t want to miss out on anything with that kid. And instead of spending time with her, he’s trying to figure out how he can hurt and destroy her mother. And for what, because she left him? He needs to get over himself.

She nods. “He doesn’t really want anything to do with her or her with him. The feeling is mutual. They’ve never really connected.”

“I’ll be here for her. Always,” I promise as she lays her head on my chest.

Her face softens, and she leans up and kisses me softly. “I know. And we’ll be here for you. Always.”