Chapter 37

CHAPTER 37

Sawyer

We left Rick still dripping at the marina and went to help Ash's mom pack up a few belongings. We'd offered to get a locksmith, so she could stay in her house, but she wanted no part of it.

"It's just an empty shell without a heart," she'd said. "It has been for a long time now."

We'd taken her to stay at the Swallow's Nest resort, since she didn't have a convenient way to get to and from the houseboat.

When we arrived in the lobby, laden with bags, Cash did a double take. "You guys moving in together or something?"

"Ash's mom needs a room. I called Sky to make sure there were openings."

"Oh. Sure." Cash smiled for Ash's mom, and it was a little weird to see the transformation from teasing friend to polite professional. He had always known how to charm people, but this wasn't cocky or flirty. It was…genuinely kind. "How many nights would you like to stay?"

"I'm not sure," she said hesitantly. "Can we start with a week and go from there?"

"Sure thing." He tapped at the keyboard in front of him while simultaneously picking up a call. "Swallow's Ne—Oh, hey, Skylar. Mm-hmm. Gotcha." He paused. "No, I didn't hear that. Seriously? That man. Do you think it's because of me ?"

His voice had gone thin. Fragile.

I shifted forward, concerned. The call had to be about Declan. No one else ever got under Cash's skin that way.

"No, you're probably right. Okay. Thanks, Sky." Cash replaced the receiver. "Okay, I've got you a suite on the second floor with a balcony overlooking the lake. We've got an in-house dining room and bar, an outdoor pool bar, an upper-floor balcony bar." He winked playfully. "I guess people really like to drink around here."

She laughed, which seemed kind of like a miracle.

"There's also boat tours down at the docks, but I'm sure that comes as no surprise to you," Cash said. "And a food boat out on the lake. Courtesy of Ash here."

"He's done so well for himself."

"He has," Cash said. "All right, I'll need to run your card for a deposit only. You'll get that back when you leave."

"How much is the room?"

"You get the family discount. No charge."

"What?" Her eyes widened.

"That's really generous of Sky," Ash said. "Are you sure? Mom's going to get a lawyer and take Rick for everything he has. She can pay."

"Nah, she's family. We take care of our own. You know how Sky is about this stuff."

I wrapped an arm around Ash. "You're one of us now, babe." I slanted a gaze to his mom. "You too."

"Oh, that's nice of you to say, but?—"

"I'm not just saying that. Mom will be so excited to see you."

"Vera?" she said in surprise. "Is she here too?"

"She runs the kitchen."

Silvia smiled. "Of course she does. I should have known nothing could keep her down."

We left shortly after—letting Ash's mom settle in and get some rest with plans to meet for breakfast the next day along with my mom—but first, I pulled Cash aside.

"What was that phone call about?"

"Just Sky telling me to give them the family rate."

"No, that other stuff. Was it about Declan?"

His face tightened. "Oh. That."

I raised my eyebrows. He shrugged. "Just some gossip that Declan is looking to sell."

"Sell what?"

"The B&B."

I winced. "Shit. Is it because the resort is taking too much of his business?"

"I don't know. Damn. Sky will feel so bad if he drove Declan out of business." He frowned. "It doesn't really make sense though. The resort had a soft launch. We haven't been open long enough to have that much impact on his bookings. Plus, the B&B is so awesome. It's a totally different vibe, you know?"

"I guess?"

He shook his head. "I need to go talk sense to him."

"You just want an excuse to go see him."

"Yes, I do," he admitted with a grin. "I'll show him that we can coexist. I can be very persuasive."

"Uh-huh."

I wasn't entirely sure if he meant they could coexist, or the B&B and the resort could. For years, Cash and Declan had had a strange push-pull relationship. Mostly Cash pushed and Declan pulled away. But Cash wasn't wrong. He was very persuasive. That was half the reason Declan's disinterest drove him a little batty, I think. Cash was used to being liked by everyone.

Still, if anyone could reassure Declan that his B&B could survive the resort's resurgence, it was him.

When we got back to my camper, Ash collapsed onto the bed. "Why do I feel so exhausted?"

I kicked off my shoes and joined him, raising my arm so he could cuddle in against me. "It was an emotional day."

"I got everything I wanted, but I feel…"

"What?"

"Selfish," he admitted. "I got my mom, but what does she get?"

"She gets you." I smoothed his hair back and kissed his forehead. "I'm really proud of you, Ash. That took a lot of guts to confront Rick like that. You did the right thing."

He worried his lip, eyes meeting mine. "I hope so. I hope she doesn't regret it."

I bent down to brush my lips over his. "She won't."

"How do you know?"

"Because you're worth it to her," I said. "She made the right choice." I kissed him again. "And so did I."

"Yeah? No regrets?"

"None. In fact…"

He raised his eyebrows in question. I hesitated, unsure if this was the right time. Ash had been through a lot of family drama today. But then, maybe that made it the perfect time. Ash and his mom had lost a family today. But I wanted them to see that they had a new one.

"Will you move in with me?"

His lips parted. "Really?"

"Yeah. I want you here every night."

A smile started to bloom across his face.

"I know it's tiny, and we can't shower together, which is a pain in the ass?—"

"Such a pain," he agreed.

"But if we're both going to be running new businesses, we can hardly afford anything bigger. You'd have to put up with me sleeping half on top of you, living out of like two drawers of space, and sharing the occasional skinny dip instead. What do you say?"

His eyes were bright, his grin the most gorgeous thing ever.

"Both of us will be running new businesses?" he asked. "Does that mean what I think it means?"

I wet my dry lips, heart skipping. I'd made up my mind, but saying it out loud made it real . It was still scary, jumping into the unknown. But if I'd learned anything from this time with Ash, it was that some things were worth the risk.

"Yeah. I'm going to talk to Hudson and see what I can make happen. If you can face everything you have, launching a business while dealing with an asshole like Rick, then I can probably handle starting one with the support of all my friends and family, right?"

"You can handle it no matter what," Ash said. "If it's what you want, that is. I know I got a little pushy about it, but it's only your happiness that matters to me."

"I know. And I do want it," I said. "I really haven't been able to stop thinking about it the past few days."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, but there's something I want even more right now."

"My ass is pretty desirable, so I can understand that."

"No." I laughed. " You. Saying you'll move in with me. Please end the suspense and say yes already!"

"Yes," he said, tugging my head down for a kiss. "Of course it's a yes. But you're risking a lot, inviting me in. I might take three drawers. I might move your razor to the wrong side of the sink!"

"That was one time I complained about that," I grumbled.

He chuckled. "You're sure, though? You really want me here? In your space. Every day."

"Every single day," I swore. "For the rest of forever. I'd risk anything for you, Ash. But it's really not much of one because I'm crazy about you."

"Yeah? I'm crazy about you too."

When he kissed me again, I didn't stop him. I pulled him closer, heart full to bursting. His hands slipped under my shirt as the kiss turned hot and greedy.

I rolled him under my body, moving my lips to his throat as I pushed his shirt up.

"Forever's a long time," he mumbled.

I lifted my head, concerned. "You don't think we'll make it forever?"

"We will. Of course we will. Just promise me one thing."

"Anything."

"That we won't stay in this camper forever," he said. "Because it really is so small. I can't live without shower sex forever, you know."

I laughed. "That would be a travesty."

"It would."

I considered it. "Five years should be enough time for us to get our heads above water."

"Two years."

"Three?"

"It's a deal." He tugged me back down, kissing me again. "Forever with you. Three years with this camper. And every anniversary, we get a room at the resort and indulge in shower sex and jacuzzi tub sex and?—"

"Shut up and kiss me," I said with a laugh.

"Make me."

So I did.