Chapter 13

chapter

thirteen

Owen

My mom has gone on a girls’ trip with friends, so Daisy has recruited an army to babysit Graham.

Rhys, Rebel, and Rebel’s parents, Beast and Avery, take Graham for the day.

“I guess I’ll have to get used to the idea of someone other than family watching my kid,” I say to Daisy as she helps me pack up snacks and diapers.

Daisy says nothing, just smiles as she grabs the baby wipes and slips them into the bag.

I know what she’s thinking. I will have to get accustomed to the idea of other people in Graham’s universe. I can’t have my son growing up sheltered.

“It’s hard letting Graham out of my sight,” I say, watching the kid climb the crib rails. It’s probably time to start looking for toddler beds. Damn, where did the time go?

“I know,” Daisy says gently as she watches me roll up an extra outfit for the kid and pack it away.

“No. I mean…something broke me after Amber dropped him off with me. I suddenly realized I had no idea what his first weeks were like. I wasn’t there to welcome him into the world. I wasn’t there to take care of Amber. Even though we weren’t together, I should have been there to help her.”

“That’s not your fault. You didn’t know,” Daisy says, folding her arms over her chest. Under Daisy’s watchful eye, Graham has now fully climbed out of the crib and scuttled down to the floor.

“I know. But I should have been there. And that thought has haunted me ever since. When my parents divorced, the girls and I visited him and his new wife a few times, and…let’s just say our stepmom was not cut out for children. She was much younger than him. She also had a drinking problem and neglected the four of us when my dad was at work. I never want any kid of mine to know what that feels like. A part of me knows I should ease up on myself but something in here,” I say, rubbing my chest, “…it feels wrong, even when I drop him off with my mom.”

Saying all this out loud feels like a weight has been lifted.

Daisy has nothing but compassion in her eyes. “It’s normal to not want outsiders to take care of your kid. But if it’s deeper than that, we’ll get you some help. Because there’s one thing I know for sure since I moved here, Owen. Everyone in Fate welcomed me with open arms. Everyone here is family.”

Her words are a balm to my soul. And that’s when I know without a doubt, if I hadn’t known before now, that Dr. Daisy Allen is my forever person. She might not be able to fix me instantaneously. But she’s going to be a big part of my healing.

When everyone arrives to pick up Graham for the day, I still feel uneasy about outsiders taking on my responsibility. Especially somebody’s dad with the nickname Beast.

Standing in the living room while I hand out lists and schedules to everyone, Rebel sees the hesitation all over my face.

Daisy’s best friend pats her midsection and says, “See this? Don’t you worry. We’ll follow your instructions to a T because Rhys and I? We need all the practice we can get before this one shows up for the real thing.”

Daisy lets out a shocked shriek. Graham mimics her, and everyone laughs.

From the looks on everyone’s faces, Rebel’s parents already know they have a grandbaby on the way.

I immediately shake Rhys’s hand and congratulate both parents and grandparents. Daisy hugs everyone, her eyes welling up.

“Also, we were hoping you could do us a favor in return,” Rebel’s mom, Avery, says.

“What’s that?” I ask.

“We love your farm and were wondering if we could host the baby shower there.”

I have to chew on this for a second. No one has ever asked to do that before. I never thought of my farm being anything fancy like that but…

“Sure, what do you need me to do?” I ask.

“I’ll follow up with details later, but there’s not much for you to do at all,” Avery says.

Anytime an idea like this is presented to me, it starts the wheels turning.

I’m pretty quiet for the walk over to Other Brother Ben’s Brewery for lunch with Daisy. “Can I offer you something from the craft beer menu?” the server asks.

I order a local brew.

Daisy puts up her hands. “No thank you. Iced tea with lemon for me.”

Her cheeks flush and she glances at me sheepishly as the server walks away.

“No alcohol today,” she says.

“You look embarrassed. Don’t be.”

“I’m supposed to be an example. I’m literally the only doctor in town.”

I lean forward and tuck a lock of hair behind Daisy’s ear. “Tell you what. I’ll get shitfaced tonight and make a scene and no one will remember that the doctor was fucked up the other night.”

This makes her snort laugh. And I’ve fallen head over heels for this woman.

“Still, I hate that people saw me like that.”

I gesture toward the bar. “See that? That’s the fire chief. I broke up a fight between him and the animal control officer last fall at the annual Fiber Arts Festival. Both of them drunk on cider. And do you see Ruby over there?”

I look at Ruby and her husband, Nick, feeding each other fried pickles in the corner booth. “Yeah, everyone knows Ruby,” Daisy says, noting her unmistakable flame-red hair.

“Nick was a stripper at a bachelor party Ruby attended. They hooked up that night and have been inseparable ever since. And that over there, that’s Danny and Izzy. She’s from Gold Hill and she nearly tore the whole town apart when they got together. Emma and Eli met when Emma crashed her car and she wandered into a blizzard on his mountain.”

Daisy sips her tea. “I sense a point coming.”

“Everybody around here has a story to tell. Sometimes embarrassing. Sometimes…illegal. But it’s no big deal. Nobody gives them a hard time about it because that’s the way we are here. Most people are just trying to live their lives. If they notice you making a fool of yourself once or twice, great. You’ve given them something to talk about. But at the end of the day, when something bad or good happens to you, they’ll be there to support you or cheer you on. Me included.”

I don’t think I’ve ever given a speech this long in my entire life. But there’s always a first. Daisy just brings it out of me.

“That’s nice of you to tell me that, but I’m still gonna stick to iced tea today.”

“Probably a good idea, Doc.”

“I found another zucchini! And oh my gosh, there’s more over here!”

I don’t know if Daisy expected our day together to involve pulling weeds and harvesting peppers, tomatoes, corn, zucchini, melons, and blueberries, but she gets excited every time she picks something.

It’s very cute.

After lunch, I asked her if she’d be OK with us driving out to the farm for a few minutes to pick some veggies before heading to the movie theater. I’d worked in the garden that morning, but I didn’t get everything done I wanted to.

Instead, at her urging, we’ve decided to skip the movie altogether and spend all afternoon in the fields.

At some point, I come up behind Daisy as she picks blueberries. Slipping my arms around her waist, I enjoy the sweaty, outdoorsy scent on the back of her neck.

“Are you sure you don’t want to try to catch the late matinee?”

She scoffs. “No, I’m having fun.”

“Me too,” I say, pressing a kiss at the top of her spine.

“Gardening is very grounding for me. I like it,” she says.

“After this, I’ll take you back to town to paint your nails or something more relaxing,” I say.

Daisy turns her head, and I capture her lips with mine.

“I can think of a few things that are way more relaxing than that. And we wouldn’t have to leave,” she says.

I like the sound of that. I also like the way Daisy is pressing back against me.

“You’d better cut that out, Doc, or we’re gonna get distracted from our cucumber duties.”

“Insert obscene vegetable joke here,” she says, turning around in my arms and taking my face between her hands, kissing me thoroughly, deeply, with her soft tongue sending me to a place I never want to come back from.

“Good thing we’re almost finished,” I say, pressing a kiss to her damp throat.

“I…I can go inside and shower first while you finish up.”

“Now I have something I need to admit to you, Daisy.”

“What’s that?”

“I like the taste of you sweaty.”

A flush crawls up the length of her throat. “Do you?”

“Yep. In fact, I’m having a craving for it.”

Her throat bobs. “Right now?”

To prove it, I pull out my phone.

“Who are you texting?” Daisy asks.

“The guy who handles my restaurant vendors. I’m letting him know the boxes are ready.”

“Oh.”

I shove the phone into my pocket. “Let’s go.”

“Go? But…”

I don’t have time for her protests. I bend down and hoist Daisy over my shoulder.

“What’s left on the vine can wait.”

Daisy lets me take her on the bed exactly how I want her. Both of us fucking naked, sweaty, and sun-soaked. Dirty and ripe. Just for each other.

I spread her legs apart and dive into her sweet center.

Her taste on my lips is better than anything.

“Shit, you taste good, Daisy.”

She tastes like summer.

I lick into her core, stroking in and out of her cunt with my searching tongue.

Daisy sucks in a breath, her fingers biting into my scalp.

“Owen…” she whispers. I go slower, denying the urgency in her voice.

I need this. I need this to go slow and deliberate. I need her goodness and sweetness on my tongue as much as her radiant presence in my life.

I take one of her fleshy thighs and rest it on my shoulder.

I flatten my tongue and lick from the tight little rosette of her asshole, all the way up to her clit.

Her body tenses, and her fingers tug at my hair.

“Oh my god.”

“Don’t come yet, Daisy.”

She tries to relax. I love her for that.

But as soon as her fingers release my hair, my tongue laps at her tight little clit and she spasms.

“I’m coming! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I tried, but I’m coming!”

“That’s good. Come for me, sweetheart. You’re so beautiful when you lose control.”

“Oh shit! Oh fuck! Owen!”

Can’t come? Fuck whoever told her that.

Daisy’s made my bed so wet, I’ll have to strip the sheets later.

Except, maybe I won’t.