Chapter 26

twenty-six

. . .

Henley

Easton and I had gone out rafting this morning on the river. It was exciting, even though he’d taken me on a grade II rapid for the second time, when I’d said I was ready for a little more. Easton had been an instructor for several summers during high school and college, and he’d grown up on the river. It had been a love of his for many years, and I loved going out with him. But everyone in town was talking about this big ride down the river that they did at the end of the season every year, and I wanted to work up to that. It was a grade IV.

“I’m excited to meet your sister and her fiancé and their little boy.” He’d shared that Emerson was in the process of adopting Nash’s son, Cutler. Easton was the one who’d sought out the birth mother and got the ball rolling. This man acted all broody and gruff on the outside, but when he loved, he loved fiercely. And I felt that love every time he looked at me.

The way he’d buckled the helmet on my head today and secured the life jacket around me, all for a glory ride down the river that barely had any bumps at all. He’d gone over the safety precautions multiple times.

He was fiercely protective, and I’d felt that every time we were together.

“She’s looking forward to meeting you,” he said. “And you’re going to love Nash and Cutler. Man, that little boy is probably the coolest kid I’ve ever met.”

“I’m excited to meet them. So, she knows we’re together?”

He turned to look at me, and a wicked grin spread across his face. “There are no secrets in my family, Henley. They’re all a bunch of sleuths. The guys knew I loved you before I even admitted it to myself. So, yeah, they all know.”

My teeth sank into my bottom lip. We were going to a big party at Easton’s parents’ house, and we’d be outside. The sun was still out during the day in Rosewood River, but the evenings were now cool. I’d been warned about the winters getting really cold, and apparently, that would happen shortly after Thanksgiving next month. The river had been packed today, as people were getting out on the water as much as possible before it was too cold to do so.

“I can’t imagine what it’s like to have such a big family.” I shrugged. “The only person I’ve told outside of my father is Lulu. I can’t wait for you to meet her.”

I’d told Easton all about my best friend. He knew she was more like a sister to me. He’d also been surprised to learn that she was actually the same Lulu Sonnet he’d heard of, as she was somewhat well-known in the press, being born into a very public family and then dating a famous rock star.

“She’s still in London on business?”

“Yeah. She’s really making a name for herself.”

“I look forward to meeting her.” He tipped my chin up and kissed my forehead. “You ready for a whole lot of Chadwicks tonight?”

I chuckled. I’d attended many Sunday night dinners, and I’d grown close to his immediate family. But tonight, I’d meet his twin sister and a lot of his extended family, and everyone in town would be there. The Chadwicks were like Rosewood River royalty, and everyone loved them.

“I’m ready.”

“You look beautiful. I’m just glad I get to walk in with you, and I don’t have to force myself to keep my distance.”

“Me, too,” I said, and I meant it. “And I won’t mind at all making sure Katrina sees us together.”

He chuckled. “Just admit that you were jealous.”

“Fine. I was jealous.”

He smirked like the cocky bastard he was, and I freaking loved it. He looked so good in his white dress shirt, dark jeans, and cowboy boots. I was wearing my cream floral maxi dress with my brown boots.

He kissed my neck and worked his way down, as my off-the-shoulders dress allowed for easy access. “I like you all worked up and jealous.”

“Okay,” I said, as my breathing picked up. “We’re going to be late. We need to be there before it gets dark because your mom said she has a photographer coming to take photos of everyone. I promised we’d get there early.”

“Damn. You’re such a rule follower, Princess.” He pulled back and took my hand, leading me out to the kitchen. I grabbed my purse and denim jacket for later, and we made our way out the door.

Easton carried the two bottles of wine we’d brought, and I held the flowers I’d picked up from The Vintage Rose this morning for his mother.

We walked the short distance to his parents’ house, and from the moment we arrived, it was a whirlwind.

His mother ushered us outside to the photographer and insisted we get a picture before things got too busy. Easton surprised me when he pulled me into his arms and kissed me, as the photographer snapped several pictures.

“Well, if that isn’t the cutest picture I’ve ever seen,” a voice called out, and I turned to see Emerson standing there, smiling. I’d recognized her from the photos I’d seen.

“Hey, Emmy,” Easton said, as he pulled back and took my hand and led me toward his sister.

She was stunning and had the biggest smile on her face as he let my hand go briefly to pull her into a hug. It was hard not to laugh that they were twins, as their size difference was massive in the way he towered over her.

“Enough of that, E. How about you introduce me to your girl,” she said over her laughter.

“Henley, Emmy. Emmy, Henley.” He motioned between us.

Before I could even say hello, Emerson rushed me, wrapping her arms around me and giving me the warmest hug. “It’s so nice to meet you, Henley. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“It’s so lovely to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you, as well.”

When she pulled back, I noticed that her eyes were wet with emotion. She’d known what her brother had been through, and she was happy to see him moving forward. At least, that’s how it appeared.

“Uncle E!” a little voice shouted as he ran toward us with a tall man beside him, who I assumed was his father.

“Hey, Beefcake,” Easton called out, as the little dude launched himself into his arms.

“Hey, you must be Henley. I’m Nash.” He extended his hand to me and then pulled me into a hug.

“It’s so great to finally meet you all,” I said.

“Well, we’re just happy to see the big guy smiling so much,” Nash teased, as he turned and hugged Easton, who had just set his son back down.

“Wow. You’re real pretty,” Cutler said, as I bent down to give him a hug. He was adorable in his jeans and leather coat, with his hair slicked back.

“Well, thank you. It’s so nice to meet you, Cutler.”

“You can call me Beefcake. Because if you’re my Uncle E’s girl, that means you’re my girl, too.” He winked. This little guy had more charm in his pinkie finger than most grown men that I’d met in my life.

“How about a group photo?” the photographer said, and we all got together and smiled. The property was stunning, with large trees all around us and the barn in the distance.

We chatted for a bit before Keaton called us over, as everyone was arriving. There was a live band playing and a makeshift dance floor. The event was being catered by the Honey Biscuit Café, and the smell of ribs and chicken had my stomach growling. It was like something out of a magazine, with tables and chairs set up all around the backyard. Each table was covered in a pretty tablecloth in coordinating patterns of orange and green and yellow. Some floral. Some striped. Some checkered. There were sage-green linen napkins with little polka dot bows tied around each one at every place setting.

“Wow! Your mom goes all out. This is so cute,” I said, as Emerson motioned for us to grab a table together.

“My mom is a natural at this. She loves throwing events, and I’ve basically given her all the freedom to plan my wedding.” She chuckled. “We’re doing it together, but she’s got a better eye for it.”

“You’re getting married in the spring, right? Here at the house?”

“Yes. So we’re deep into the planning stages now.” She paused to glance over at Easton and Nash, who were talking with her brothers and cousins. People were already out on the dance floor, and everyone was having a good time. “I hope you’ll come to the wedding.”

I smiled. “I would love to. Thank you for including me.”

“It’s a big deal that he’s taken this step, Henley. I know he’s told you about what happened with Jilly, and it’s been years, so to most people, it wouldn’t seem like such a big deal. But for Easton, he really shut down after that. And grief can be very deceiving, you know?” She swiped at her eye as a tear sprung loose, and I startled. “He’s out there crushing life. He’s an amazing lawyer. He knows how to go out and have a good time, and he can be the life of the party when he wants to be. But my brother has been guarding his heart for years. To the point that I really thought he would just close off any idea of a real relationship again. He was content with being a workaholic and having casual relationships that didn’t go anywhere. So this is really big for him. It’s a sign that he’s moving forward. He held a lot of guilt about Jilly’s accident, and it didn’t matter how many times we all told him it wasn’t his fault, because it wasn’t at all. But that didn’t stop him from carrying that. But you are a breath of fresh air for my brother, and we all see it. So, thank you for being that light in his life that he desperately needed. But be patient with him. He can be overbearing and protective, but it’s a coping mechanism, I think. And when he loves, he loves so deeply. And I can see how crazy he is about you.”

I sucked in a breath, fighting back the lump forming in my throat. “I’m crazy in love with that man. He’s not going to scare me off. He did give me quite a bad case of whiplash the first few weeks after I’d met him, but I understand it now. Grief is something each person has to work through in their own way.”

“Yeah, I know. And thank you for understanding him the way you do. He talks about you like you walk on water,” she said with a chuckle. “And Easton usually thinks he’s the only one who walks on water.”

My heart raced at her words, and I just shook my head and smiled.

“Oh, boy,” she groaned before breaking into a fit of laughter. “You think he walks on water, too, don’t you?”

“Why do you look like you’re up to no good, evil twin?” Easton said to his sister as he came up behind me and kissed my cheek.

“Oh, were your ears burning?” she asked when Nash took the seat beside her.

Rafe, Axel, and Archer found seats at our table.

“Look at Beefcake teaching Melody how to dance,” Easton said, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

“I heard Easton took you out on the water this morning,” Rafe said with a smirk, like there was some sort of inside joke there.

“I took her on Mayberry Pass,” Easton said, as Bridger and Clark brought beers to the table for everyone, setting one in front of me before they took the open seats at the table.

“It was great. Pretty uneventful, but fun.”

“You’re still new to the sport,” he said, kissing my cheek.

“You took her on Mayberry Pass? Come on, dude. She played collegiate tennis. She’s an athlete. Mimi and Pops can do Mayberry Pass in their sleep.” Rafe was laughing hysterically.

“You should have her come out and do Rocky Mountain with us in a few weeks for the annual last Rosewood River ride. That gives her some time to get out there a few times before then,” Axel said.

“I personally don’t enjoy it,” Emerson said. “These lunatics love it, and I’m always holding on for dear life.”

“You got soft with old age, Emmy,” Bridger said, shooting her a wink. “It’s not that bad. It’s a grade IV.”

“Although we’ve been out there a few times where I swear it was more grade V,” Rafe said, as he shivered dramatically, and everyone laughed.

“It’s between a four and a five. And she’s not doing it with us. You’ve grown up on that river. She’s new to it.” Easton’s voice was harsh, and he gave me a little squeeze.

“I have rafted before moving here. And I did a more difficult pass than what we’ve done, so I think I’d be fine. It’s a few weeks away, and we’re going out again next weekend. So how about we just see how I progress,” I said, my voice all tease. I’d researched river rafting and was impressed that Easton had been as skilled as he was. But I was athletic and fairly competitive, so I felt confident that I could handle a lot more than what he’d been doing with me.

“Yeah. I heard the girl smoked you at pickleball.” Emerson was laughing hysterically now.

“I’m just relieved pickleball is done for now, because Coach is working us hard on the ice. I don’t have time for Easton’s antics on the pickleball court right now,” Clark said.

“Hey, the Chad-Six got the gold again. My antics are what keep you guys coming back year after year.”

“I’d like Henley to take my spot next year,” Archer said. “I’ve got too much going on with work and raising Melody. How about I be the sub next year, and you join the Chad-Six?” Archer quirked a brow as he looked at me.

“Well, she’s much better than you, so it would be a good move for everyone. What do you say, baby?” Easton asked.

“I’ll play with you. But only if you agree to take me out on the river on a more challenging pass next weekend.”

His brows cinched, and he studied me before he nodded. “I can do that. Slowly. The river can be a beast.”

“A beast that I believe you referred to as your bitch many times,” Rafe said, and Easton flipped him the bird.

Someone rang a bell, and everyone was on their feet and heading to the buffet table. Easton offered to grab me a plate so I could stay and visit with Emerson.

“Damn. My brother is ridiculously cute with you. He’s never been like this. Not even with—” She stopped herself from saying her name, and I glanced up to see Katrina walking our way.

I groaned internally as she came to stand beside my chair. She crossed her arms over her chest and raised a brow. “Congrats. I heard you and Easton are officially together.”

“Yes. Thank you.” I forced a smile. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?”

“I suspected, but hey, if you weren’t going to claim your man, he’s up for grabs, right?” She chuckled as she took a sip of her beer.

“Well, lucky for me, he’s not up for grabs,” I said dryly, my voice completely lacking any humor.

“Hey, ladies!” Joey walked up behind Katrina and made a face at me as if he were apologizing for her. “Great party, isn’t it?”

“Joey, can you get me a fresh beer, please?” Katrina held her bottle out to him, and he glanced over at me. He was trying to help me, and she was completely using him.

“How about this? I’ll go with Joey to grab that because I think Emerson and I could use another.” I gave Emerson a look that said I needed to get away from this woman, and she thanked me for grabbing us drinks.

When Joey and I walked away, I linked an arm through his. “Why are you being so nice to her? She’s so rude.”

“I’m only doing it to help you and Easton out. You’ve both been really decent to me.” He shrugged.

“Hey, Joey,” the cute woman who appeared to be in her mid-twenties and was working the bar said. I didn’t miss the way her cheeks pinked when she looked at him, and he looked very happy to see her.

“Hey, Pippa!” he said. “I didn’t know you moved back to town.”

“Yes. I just got back two weeks ago. I gave Hollywood a try, but I didn’t have any luck, so I came home with my tail between my legs.” She handed us each a couple of beers. “But I do have that college degree, and I’m ready to put it to work. I just need to find myself a job here in town.”

“This is my friend, Henley,” he said. “This is Pippa. We grew up together.”

“Hi, Henley, it’s nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” I said. She smiled before turning away when someone came behind the bar with a case of booze.

“We’re hiring,” I whispered to him, and he nodded.

When Pippa turned around, she apologized for the interruption.

“Don’t worry about that. I just had a thought. We’re hiring at the firm. I’m a lawyer now.” He shrugged, and it made me chuckle how humble he was about it. “I don’t know if administrative type of work is what you’re looking for, but Henley here is an attorney, too, and we could put in a good word for you. Actually, Easton Chadwick runs the office. I know he was a few years older than us, but you probably remember him.”

“Yes. Oh, my gosh, I would be very interested. I heard you went to law school. That’s amazing. Um, how should I reach out to you?” she asked, and her cheeks flushed again.

She clearly liked him.

“You can come by the office next week and fill out an application,” he said, and I stepped on his foot, and he startled.

“It might be better to just call Joey directly, and he can set up a time for you to come meet with Easton.”

“Oh. Yes. Here, let me get your number.” Joey was smiling as he handed her his phone, and I glanced around to find Easton standing at our table, looking for me.

Our eyes met at the same time.

He smiled, and I told Joey I’d meet him back at the table.

I hurried back, and Katrina was standing there trying to talk to him, but his eyes were on me.

I didn’t look at her when I handed a beer to Emerson, and Easton wrapped an arm around my waist.

“Hey, Princess. Glad you’re back.”

And then he leaned down and kissed me.

Making sure everyone there knew we were together.

Knew that I was his.

And I loved it.