Chapter 22

Willow

"I just need you to be patient with me." My fingers run across Dallas's chest as we lie in bed, staring out the sliding glass door as the sun rises over the ocean. Last night we spent hours reconnecting, declaring our love for one another with our bodies, and now a new day begins in this new life that I've chosen for myself—my choice. No one else's. "I've never done the relationship thing, and I know I'm going to mess it up."

"We're in the same boat, Goose. Don't worry." He presses his lips to my temple, cradling me in his arms. "We'll figure out what works for us. First promise though…no running away from talking about tough shit again."

"I like the sound of that."

Dallas stares down at me, his head propped up on his pillow. "I do too. This is it for me, Willow. No one else will ever come between us, okay? I won't let anything dull that fiery spirit of yours, and I promise to love you for who you are because that's who I fell in love with, scars and all."

I trace the scar on his ribs. "Mine run deep, Dallas. I don't know if they will ever heal."

"They will, but not in the way you think." He stares down at where my fingers touch his skin. "They dull, become less noticeable, but still hold a story. It's just easier to accept them as time goes on, like they're an extension of you. Scars are fascinating, Willow. And I love yours. They brought you to me."

"I love you." Our lips meet and the contentment that rushes through me tells me that I'm right where I'm supposed to be. This man knows me better than almost anyone else, and he brought me home. I fight off a yawn as I say, "But there's still a lot of things to figure out."

"Such as?"

"Well, what are we going to tell your brothers and sister?"

He closes his eyes. "I haven't thought that far ahead. After I spoke to my mom, my only thought was getting you back. I know we need to talk to them. They deserve to know about Dad and how he's connected to you, but it was honestly the last thing on my mind the past few days."

"I don't want them to hate me for lying to you and them," I whisper.

"They won't. They all had very different relationships with him. And I know Mom will help explain things as well."

"And your mom…is she okay with…" I gesture between us. "This?"

He narrows his eyes at me. "I think you already know the answer to that question, Willow."

Huffing out a laugh, I reply, "I mean, she knows how I feel about you, why it was so hard for me to keep this to myself. But after the two of you talked, I wasn't sure…"

Dallas presses a finger to my lips. "I told her you're the one, and I made myself pretty clear on that."

I swallow down the lump in my throat. "Oh."

I heard Dallas say that this was it for him, but that reassurance, hearing him call me the one—it just makes it all so much more real, even after last night.

Part of me was afraid I would wake up this morning and it would have all been a dream, that this adventure of mine was all a figment of my imagination.

But it's very real.

And my mind and heart are finally accepting it.

"Oh? I thought I made myself clear…" He pulls me against his chest. "It's you and me, Goose. I'm all in." He drags his nose along my neck before our lips meet softly. "You own me. I'm stuck in your orbit and have no desire to leave. Whatever galaxy you exist in is the one I belong in, too."

"That was very poetic of you."

The corner of his mouth lifts. "I have my moments. I may not have much experience with relationships, but with you?" He brushes my hair from my face. "It just comes easy."

Running my hand up his chest, I say, "Care to make any rules for our relationship then, since neither of us know what we're doing?"

"I like that idea." Dallas taps his chin with his finger, staring up at the ceiling. Then he drops his gaze to mine again, and says, "Rule number one: always use your manners."

I giggle. "Especially during sex."

Dallas growls, burying his head in my neck. "Hell yeah."

As his lips dance over my skin, I add, "Rule number two: always have blueberry muffins ready for my breakfast on the weekends." I've decided to cut down on my muffin intake since my pants started to get a bit snug last week, but I figure a weekend treat is still acceptable.

Damn those little pillows of heaven.

"I can do that." I feel Dallas grow hard against my leg and then he starts shifting. "Rule number three: always have your pussy ready for my breakfast on any given day." He dips below the blanket, shuffling down the mattress while pressing me on my back, and finds me wet and ready as he drags his tongue through my slit.

Moaning, I arch my back and say, "I think rule number three is my favorite."

"Mine too, Willow," he mumbles against me. "Mine too."

***

"Why do I get the feeling you're about to tell us someone died?" Penn stares across the living room at me and Dallas, sitting in the giant cushioned chair together, me perched on his lap.

"It's not that, but we do have something we need to talk to you guys about." Dallas looks at Katherine, who nods in approval.

It's Sunday night, which means family dinner night in the Sheppard house.

But this family dinner is going to be a little more serious than the last.

After Dallas and I reconciled, we had dinner with his mom, who apologized profusely for the heartache she caused us both. It was that night that Dallas also gave me the picture of me as a little girl that my parents had with them the day that they died.

I bawled like a baby for almost an hour.

And then he showed me and his mother the letter his father left. Katherine and I cried for another thirty minutes.

But the three of us agreed that the rest of the family should know about all the circumstances around what led me here, and so that's why we're gathered in the living room right now, having just enjoyed Katherine's homemade chili and cornbread before sullying the evening with heavy emotions.

"Do you wanna start, Goose?" Dallas asks as I bite my thumbnail. He pulls my hand from my mouth and raises his brows at me.

"Yeah, I guess."

Hazel nearly jumps out of her chair. "Oh my God! Are you pregnant, Willow?"

My head spins toward her in a flash. "What? No!"

"She's not pregnant, Hazelnut." Dallas looks at me for confirmation. I shake my head. "Nope. Not pregnant." Although as of last night, we agreed not to use condoms anymore, so the possibility is definitely there if my pill fails.

But we both know the risks and we're okay with that.

"I want you guys to know what led me to Carrington Cove. It wasn't just some random inheritance in which I got the Bayshore house." I turn to Dallas and take a deep breath. "I was left the house by your father."

You could hear a pin drop in that room for several minutes before the questions started to pour out. And after about an hour of questions and plenty of tears, the entire Sheppard family knew our story.

"This is fucking wild," Parker declares, draining the rest of his beer before standing from the couch, pacing for a minute before heading to the kitchen for another.

Hazel dabs a tissue under her eyes, staring at us from the couch still. "I know it's sad, but I think it's so romantic that dad led you here, Willow."

Dallas grins at his sister as he pulls me closer. "You'll have to forgive Hazel. She's a hopeless romantic."

"I am, all right? I admit it. This is like romance book worthy." Hazel launches herself from the couch and heads down the hall. "Ugh. I need to blow my nose again."

Penn stands from the couch and hovers over us, trepidation in his gaze. "So this is real?"

"It is." Dallas stands and looks him dead in the eye. "I went after what I want, and I got it."

"Then I'm happy for you." He looks to me and says, "Both of you." Penn pulls his older brother in for a hug, slapping his back before releasing him and turning to me once more. "So, you're not selling the house?"

Rising from the chair, I meet his gaze with a smile on my lips. "Nope. I'm here to stay."

"Good, because it didn't feel right the thought of you leaving."

Dallas's eyes meet mine almost instantly. "I couldn't have said it better myself, brother."

***

One Month Later

"I'm glad we came to an agreement." I stare at the computer screen, watching Thomas Fletcher, one of my biggest clients, smile from ear to ear.

"Me too, Willow. I miss seeing you around here, but Natalie and the team did me proud. This campaign is a winner. The sales have already been outstanding."

"I told you they would. You know I'm always here if you need my input, though."

"I appreciate that, but I must say, it's nice to see you with your hair down. You look…" He pauses while he searches for the correct word. "Content."

I glance above the computer, finding Dallas grinning at me, bouncing his eyebrows as he cooks us breakfast.

I am content, feeling more fulfilled and grounded than I have in my entire life.

And yes, my hair is down, because that's the way my live-in boyfriend likes it.

Dallas moved in shortly after we spoke with his family about their dad. It just made sense for him to stay with me in a space that was big enough for us both. The apartment above the restaurant is still there for those late nights if he needs it, but more often than not, he sneaks into our bed in the wee hours of the morning and wakes me up with his tongue between my legs.

Rule number three is definitely our favorite.

And now the man who wanted my house to begin with is finally living in it—with me.

"Well, that's what living by the beach will do for you, Thomas. Make you relax a bit. That and the right person to help you see what's truly important in life." My eyes meet Dallas's again, a hint of reverence in his gaze.

"Glad to hear it. We'll talk soon."

"Looking forward to it." I log off the call and then lean back in my chair, watching the muscles in Dallas's back clench and ripple as he moves, finishing our breakfast. "Well, that went well."

"And now you're done for the day?" He slides two eggs onto a plate and then butters two slices of toast.

"Yes, I am."

"Good, because we have a busy one ahead of us."

When I left D.C., I made an arrangement with the board of my company that allowed me to feel more comfortable with moving here permanently. The thought of leaving entirely wasn't what I wanted. I built the company myself, and still wanted ownership, but I was ready for far less responsibility. So, I stepped down as acting CEO, and let Natalie, my VP of marketing, step up. She was ecstatic about the opportunity, and I've been mentoring her as needed, as well as communicating with clients who have been with me since the beginning, like Thomas Fletcher.

I still have a say in certain campaigns. I still log on to calls and check my emails every day. But I have a much better work-life balance than I did before, one that is more conducive to living in a small town and dedicating time to the new man in my life—the only man I know I'll ever need. There are days where old habits try to sneak their way back in, but Dallas comforts me and encourages me to look out at the ocean to remember that change is good.

Like the waves lapping at the shore, change is unpredictable and sometimes scary, but it can wash away old scars and shape us into something new.

"Are you ready for today?" I reach for my cup of coffee, sipping on the now lukewarm liquid.

Dallas nods as he finishes plating our food. "It's gonna be a good game."

Bentley's soccer team made it to the championship match, and the final game is at eleven. After we eat, we have a few errands to run before heading over to the field.

My, how different my life looks after just a few months.

"You'd better eat up, Coach." I point to Dallas's plate as he brings both of our meals over to the table, taking a seat right next to me.

"Don't worry about me, Goose. The person you should be worrying about is Astrid."

I stab my eggs and bring a hefty bite to my mouth. "Oh, I know. She's been crazy lately with the bakery renovations and then during the games, she practically bites her fingernails off."

"She just gets invested like most parents. It's fun to see the boys win."

"I agree. And I enjoy watching you coach more than anything." I bounce my eyebrows at him this time.

"It's the backward hat and aviators, huh, Goose?"

"God, yes," I admit on a sigh. "It does it for me every time."

***

"Astrid, if you don't stop, you're not going to have a single fingernail left." I pull her hand from her mouth, holding it with my own instead.

"God, I hate this. Bentley wants this so much." She's practically vibrating with nerves as she stands next to me, so I stroke her arm, trying to offer her an ounce of comfort. We stare out at the field, watching the teams fight tooth and nail, each pass and missed goal amping up the anxiety on the sidelines.

"I know, hun. But losing is part of life too. He'll be fine either way."

I'm really just speculating right now.

I never played sports. The only time I ever competed in anything was during the Carrington Cove Games and we won, so I honestly don't know what it's like to lose.

And to be an eleven-year-old and lose?

God, I hope he just wins so I don't have to experience that aftermath.

Astrid shakes her hands out at her sides, releasing mine from her grasp. "I'm just so on edge."

I watch her dance around, her eyes wild and her limbs jittery. "You are, more so than usual. Are you okay, girl?"

Her eyes dart over to mine quickly before returning right back to the field. "I'm—I'm fine."

"Uh, I don't believe you." I step in front of her, snapping my fingers in her face, which forces her eyes to meet mine. "Astrid Marie, what are you not telling me?"

"That's not my middle name."

"I don't care. There's something else going on here, and you'd better spill. We don't keep secrets from each other, remember?"

After the whole thing with Dallas, I confessed the story of what led me here to Astrid. We cried together, and I told her how sorry I was for keeping the whole tale from her. She was very understanding, but we promised not to keep secrets from each other anymore, which eventually led to her telling me how she really feels about Penn.

As if anyone with two eyes in this town didn't already know.

Astrid chews on her bottom lip. "Willow…"

"Do you need an attorney? Did you do something illegal?" My pulse starts to climb as I wait for her answer.

"What? No!"

"Then what is it?"

She looks around before leaning over and whispering, "I had sex with Penn."

"What?" I shout, drawing attention to us as Astrid's eyes widen. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry," I whisper now, even though the damage has been done.

"Jesus, Willow. Now everyone is going to know." She buries her head in her hands.

I pull her hands away and force her to look at me, lowering my voice and leaning in closer to her. "No, they won't. All they heard me say was ‘what.'" We both blow out a breath at the same time. "Now, tell me how this happened. And more importantly," I say, arching a brow at her, "was it good?"

Astrid groans, closing her eyes and sighing. "It was incredible. So hot. There was frosting involved." She opens her eyes and chews on her bottom lip.

"Frosting?" Damn. I didn't think Penn or Astrid had it in them.

"Yes. It happened at the bakery. But it can't happen again." She shakes her head furiously as our team scores a goal. "Never again."

We pause our conversation to celebrate.

As soon as the game starts back up, I turn my head toward her once more. "Why not? I thought that's what you wanted?"

"I can't, Willow. It's Penn…he's my friend. Was my friend?" Her brow furrows. "How do you stay friends with a man after you sleep with him?"

"Brandon has been gone for four years, Astrid. And it is Penn. He wouldn't let this come between you two."

"I know, but…" She takes a deep breath and says, "There's something that Penn doesn't know. And when he finds out, it's going to ruin our friendship."

My mouth falls open as a whistle rings out on the field. But I don't turn to see what happened, because it turns out Astrid has been keeping secrets, and I feel like this is a big one.

THE END