Chapter 30

thirty

. . .

Henley

Let’s just say that Thanksgiving at the Chadwicks’ was like something out of a movie.

It was chaos and hilarity and the most entertaining holiday I’d ever experienced.

I’d met his grandparents, Mimi and Pops. They were everything I’d expected. Warmth and humor and love.

Mimi was sweet and kind, and Pops was sarcastic and loved to joke around with his grandkids.

Everyone was missing Emerson, as she’d stayed in Magnolia Falls this year, and apparently, she was the only one Pops was soft on.

The food was incredible, and I was seated between Easton and Melody. She’d come out of her shell with me these last few weeks, and when she’d climbed onto my lap, I’d stroked her head until she fell asleep. Archer tried to take her from me, but I wasn’t having it.

This little girl smelled like baby shampoo and strawberries. I loved it. I smiled down at that little cherub face as I listened to the endless banter around the table.

“So why not just date her?” Clark asked. “You said she’s hot. What’s the problem?”

Rafe groaned over a mouthful of mashed potatoes. “She’s my boss’s daughter. She was all over me at the holiday party. She’s looking for a husband, not a good time.”

“Oh, for goodness’ sake, Rafe Henry,” Ellie said and gave him a pointed look.

“Mom’s pulling out the middle name. You are definitely in the doghouse.” Easton barked out a laugh.

“Listen, I’m not opposed to a relationship. But this girl pushed me into a bathroom at the holiday party last year, and let’s just say, she came on really strong.” Rafe shivered dramatically, which made the table erupt in laughter. “Joseph Chapman is my boss. Dating his daughter is not a good idea. But she wants to date me, and he wants to give his daughter whatever the hell she wants. He wanted me to take her to his wedding next month, so I had to think of something fast.”

“So you lied?” Bridger shook his head with a laugh. “Just say you aren’t feeling it.”

“Says the man who works for himself.” Rafe quirked a brow. “And it wasn’t a full-on lie. I said I had a girlfriend.”

“Oh, do you have a girlfriend?” Isabelle asked. I’d grown close to Easton’s aunt and uncle. Isabelle and Carlisle were hilarious. She was razzing him because she already knew the answer.

“Well, not technically. But I could. I mean, I meet women all the time.” Rafe forked some turkey and popped it into his mouth. “I just need to find one who’s willing to put on a convincing show at the wedding.”

“Dude, you should have just been straight with her,” Clark said as he reached for the rolls and placed one on his plate.

“Easier said than done. This woman is a stage-five clinger. She was all over me. I won’t traumatize everyone with the details, but she sort of terrifies me.”

“You are one dramatic dude,” Axel said over his laughter.

“I think I might have to push you out of that raft tomorrow, just for shits and giggles,” Rafe said, but he had a wicked grin on his face.

“I heard you decided to go out with them tomorrow?” Keaton asked his son, directing his attention to Easton.

“Yes. Because apparently, we have a bunch of traitors at the table, and they were going to take my girlfriend out on the raft without me.” He shot daggers around the table, but it only made everyone laugh harder.

“You do realize she’s a grown woman and can go out on her own if she wants to,” Rafe said. “So man up and get your ass in that raft tomorrow.”

“Says the dude who can’t even tell his boss’s daughter he’s not interested.”

“Shots fired!” Clark laughed. “We knew you’d come around. Obviously, we all need you in that raft.”

“The wind has been picking up, so it’s not going to be smooth,” Easton said, and I could feel his shoulders tense beside me.

“You’ve always loved rough waters out there,” Pops said, and there was a quiet that came over the table.

As if everyone knew why he was acting like this, aside from his grandfather.

I was no therapist, but I’d assumed it had a lot to do with Jilly’s accident. Easton’s fear of losing the people he loved was real, and it was all directed at me right now.

That was why I was insisting on going. Because he needed to see that I could take care of myself.

That I would be okay.

“I can’t say I mind if you all take a break from that river this year,” Ellie said, winking at her son as if she knew exactly what was going on.

“You can’t bench a guy like Easton who thrives on the challenge. The adrenaline. It’s not how he’s designed.” Pops glanced over at me where I held Melody on my lap, and he smiled with sweet adoration painted all over his face.

“Nonsense. You grow up, and you have more to think about than just yourself,” Mimi said.

“All right, how about we don’t talk about that right now. We’ve been out there in worse. It’s fine. I’m fine. Everything’s fine,” Easton said, and he made no attempt to hide his irritation.

And he certainly didn’t seem fine.

“Well, that was convincing,” Bridger grumped, as Isabelle changed the subject and insisted everyone go around the table and say what they were thankful for.

Melody stirred in my arms, and her little hand moved to my cheek as her chocolate-brown eyes opened and met mine.

“Hey there, my love,” I whispered. She was like a little Hot Pocket, all warm and cozy.

“Hi, my wuv,” she said, mimicking my words, and my heart threatened to explode. We’d grown close at Sunday dinners over the last few weeks. “I need to go pee-pee.”

Archer was on his feet and taking her into his arms, even though I offered to take her. He was an amazing dad. I focused my attention back on the table.

Keaton was grateful for everyone being together. Ellie was grateful for her family and good food and good friends. Isabelle and Carlisle were very similar, and the boys groaned and gave them a hard time about being lame with their answers.

Axel said that he was grateful that he got to work outdoors making horse trailers. Rafe said he was thankful for fake girlfriends and thinking on his feet, which made everyone laugh.

Clark was thankful for being traded to the home team and having Thanksgiving off. As a professional hockey player, that didn’t always happen. But he wouldn’t be in the raft tomorrow because he had a home game that we were all going to.

Bridger said that he was thankful that he had a quiet home to go back to after dinner so he didn’t need to listen to all this chatter for the rest of the night.

More laughter.

And then Easton smirked. “Well, I’m grateful that my girl just agreed to move in with me.”

Isabelle, Ellie, and Mimi were clapping their hands, and Rafe winked at me. Clark held his glass of water up in cheers, Axel nodded and smiled, and Bridger just studied his brother before his lips turned up in the corners the slightest bit. I wouldn’t have noticed the small smile a few weeks ago, but I noticed now.

“How about we see if Henley is thankful for the same thing?” Keaton said with a laugh.

“Don’t put the girl on the spot,” Pops said as he leaned back and rubbed his belly.

“She said yes, Pops. Thanks for the lack of confidence.” Easton was laughing now as he kissed me on the cheek.

“I’m very thankful for this guy next to me and that we are taking that next step.” I chuckled because they were all gaping at me now. “And I’m really thankful for your amazing family making me feel so welcome. I’ve never had a Thanksgiving like this, and now I know what I’ve been missing.”

“Where the hell have you been, girl? You fit right in, like you’ve belonged here all along,” Pops said, before a loud burp escaped his mouth, and Mimi threw her hands in the air and shot him a warning look.

“Thank you.” I smiled, and Archer returned to the table.

“How about you, Archer?” Mimi asked. “What are you thankful for?”

“I’m thankful that I get to wake up this little girl with stanky breath and wild hair every morning,” he said, as he nuzzled his daughter’s neck.

“I’m not stanky, Daddy.” Melody’s head was tipped back in a fit of giggles.

“I’m just teasing, angel face.” He kissed her cheek, and she reached out for me, and I didn’t miss the way everyone at the table smiled when he set her back in my lap.

“Like I said, you fit right in.” Pops winked at me.

And I pushed away the large lump that formed in my throat.

Because I knew he was right.

We had pie and visited for a while before Easton and I made our way back to my house. We’d been taking turns staying at one another’s homes.

I ran a bath, and he sat there leaning against the counter. He’d grabbed us each a glass of wine and set them beside the tub. He surprised me when he got undressed and said he’d join me.

Most nights, I took a bath, and Easton sat beside the tub and chatted with me.

Once we were both submerged in hot water, my hair tied up in a messy bun as my back rested against his chest, I took a sip of wine.

“My family really loves you.”

“Yeah? I love them, too.” I set my glass on the ledge beside me. “You were quiet when they talked about going out on the river, and I wanted to talk to you about that.”

“I agreed to go. There isn’t anything to talk about.” His fingers were running up and down my arm.

“We both have things that we’re working through, Easton. You know that I have trust issues. I’ve told you about my need for approval from the people I love. I have a huge fear of abandonment. Of not being enough for someone to stick around. And that’s what makes me nervous about the way that I love you.”

He startled at my words. “I love you, Princess. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I know that. And I believe you. But we’ve all got fears. And you are not being honest about why you don’t want to go out on the raft tomorrow. You’re letting fear control you. And it’s not fear about what’s going to happen to you; it’s about your lack of control over what’s going to happen to me, Easton. I can see that. But you’ve got to let that go. Trust that everything will be okay, just like I’m doing with you.”

“Sounds like you’ve been talking to Dr. Langford,” he said, his voice laced with humor, even though I knew this was difficult for him to talk to me about.

“I haven’t. But I can see what’s happening here.” I rolled onto my stomach. “Tell me about that day. You’ve never talked about it. Maybe if you share your grief with me about what happened and what you went through, it’ll help.”

He shook his head. “It’s in the past. I don’t need to talk about it. I just want you to be safe. It’s not anything more than that.” His voice was hard now. This was what he always did when I tried to bring up Jilly.

He’d shut down.

“Our pasts are a part of our present and our future. My father leaving that tennis match because I got second place—the way he made me feel didn’t leave with him on that plane. It stayed with me. And I had to work through it. Hell, I’m still working through it. But I told you about it, and it helped me to know that you understand the things that I’ve been through, just like I want to understand the things you’ve been through.”

“Don’t push this, Henley.” His gaze was unwavering.

Why wouldn’t he talk to me?

I nodded, but it stung that he didn’t trust me enough to open up to me.

I rolled back over, and we sat in silence for a bit.

“So, which house do you want to live in?” he asked.

He was changing the subject.

He was good at it. And at some point, I’d have to push him harder, but tonight wasn’t the night. Tomorrow, after he realized that he’d made too big a deal out of this, I’d broach the topic again.

He needed time, and I understood that.

“I love both of our homes,” I said, my voice quiet. I was exhausted.

“We could live in one and rent out the other.”

“That sounds like a good plan,” I said, as he pushed to his feet and lifted me out of the water with him before wrapping me in a towel.

He dried me off and then did the same to himself. And after I brushed through my hair, he scooped me up like a baby and carried me to the bedroom. I was laughing when he laid me on the bed and hovered over me as his gaze locked with mine.

“I’m trying, Princess. Just give me time, okay?”

I nodded. “I know you are.”

“I love you. Isn’t that what matters most?”

“It is.” I smiled up at him, and he leaned down and kissed me.

And I knew everything was going to be just fine.

Because we loved each other.

And that was definitely what mattered most.