Chapter Forty-Five
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
LENNON
Hunter being able to have children is a miracle in and of itself. Not being able to expand our little family was okay, and I was completely content with it, but this changes things drastically. I want to be the woman to carry his children, and hopefully, one day I will. It’s as if our jagged edges, the broken parts of us, have smoothed with time. We’re still healing, but together we’re whole.
My eyes flutter open before my alarm goes off, and I feel his hardness digging into my back, which makes me grin. My body aches from where he was yesterday, but I can’t seem to get enough of him, not now, not ever. Considering Alison is sound asleep in the next room, I shimmy out of my panties and shorts and roll over. I take Hunter’s thickness in my hand and give him a few strokes before his eyes flutter open.
“Mmm, good morning, beautiful,” he hums against my lips. A beat later, I’m straddling him. His hands guide my hips, and he fucks me until I see stars. I try to keep quiet, biting my lower lip as we ride our release together. Collapsing on his chest, I let out a small laugh. “Who needs coffee in the morning when I’ve got you?”
A chuckle escapes him before I slide off him and clean up.
“Take a shower with me?” I ask with big puppy eyes, and he easily agrees.
Before we go to the bathroom, I check on Alison, who’s sleeping soundly. I’m not sure a freight train could wake her when she’s out. Grabbing the baby monitor, I take it with me.
Hunter’s already waiting in the shower when I step in, and I take a moment to admire every inch of this beautiful man. My mother once told me I was lucky to find love once and not to allow the second time to slip through my fingers. Sometimes, I hate to admit it, but she was so right.
“What?” He grins as he grabs the soap, paying extra attention to my breasts and ass.
“I’m so grateful for you,” I admit. “I’m not sure I would’ve survived without you.”
He gives me a smile and leans forward to pull me close, then kisses me. “You would have. You’re the strongest person I know.”
I shake my head. “No. You are.”
Hunter kisses my forehead as the warm water falls over my back. I wrap my arms around him, and we stand, embracing one another like it might end tomorrow. Though I know it won’t, I don’t take anything for granted anymore, not after losing Brandon.
Life’s too short.
Once Hunter lets me go, he washes my hair, massaging my scalp, and if my eyes weren’t closed, they’d roll in the back of my head. I love showering with him because every inch of my body gets washed, and his touch feels so damn good. Returning the favor, I run my soapy hands over his abs, paying extra attention to below the waist.
“Mmm. If you keep that up, we’re gonna get dirty all over again,” he warns, and I giggle, knowing we don’t have time.
Soon we’re stepping out of the shower, and Hunter hands me a towel. We dry off quickly, and as I’m blow-drying my hair, I hear Alison crying.
It’s crunch time, so I’m not late for school. I still need to get her ready for Mrs. Locke, who happily watches her while I work. She says watching Alison is the highlight of her day, and I’m so grateful for her love and support. Brandon’s parents have been a huge help and adore the baby so much.
I’m also glad my parents have been over the moon about their granddaughter. They FaceTime me as much as possible and have encouraged me to keep posting to Instagram for baby updates. I feel so lucky that things turned out the way they did with the pregnancy and having them in Alison’s life now.
Between my parents and Brandon’s, along with my sisters and Hunter, she’s the most spoiled three-month-old I’ve ever seen, but she’s also the most loved.
After she’s fed and we’re both dressed, I quickly double-check the diaper bag to make sure everything is inside along with fresh bottles of breast milk. I glance at the time and know I’m cutting it close. When I walk back into the kitchen, I see a shirtless Hunter standing at the coffeepot wearing a grin.
“What’re you doing? You’re gonna be late,” I tell him, shaking my head.
“It’s Friday. I don’t have to be at work until ten for a meeting. I can take Allie to Mrs. Locke’s so you’re not late.”
I release a relieved breath. “Are you sure?”
He tucks loose strands of hair behind my ear, and I melt into his touch. “I owe Mrs. Locke a visit anyway. Plus, she gives me a bag of cookies each time I stop by.”
A laugh escapes me. “Maybe I should be offended because I’m not getting any cookies.” Standing on my tiptoes, I press my lips against his, and he deepens the kiss. “Love you.”
“Love you too,” he tells me as he slaps a hand against my ass.
“Don’t forget the diaper bag and make sure Mrs. Locke doesn’t need anything. Oh and?—”
“Babe. I’ve got this.”
I laugh. “Okay. I’ll see you after work.”
“Have a good day,” he singsongs as I rush out of the apartment.
My heart is so damn full I can barely describe the way I feel. So much has happened in a year that I’m often pinching myself to make sure this is real life. Each time Hunter kisses me or holds me close, I know it is. Though I’ve had some horrible things happen, I’m happy where my life is now because there was a point when I didn’t think I’d be able to get up in the morning. I had no purpose, and I was nothing more than a shell of myself. Time can’t heal all wounds, but each day, it gets easier. I’ll always love Brandon, and I’ll forever be appreciative of the gift he gave me. After Alison was born, I realized that loving again doesn’t mean I’m trying to replace him. He loved me and Hunter so much, so I know deep in my heart he’d want us to be together.
By the time I get to school, it’s nearly time for class to start. The day is uneventful, and each grade practices the songs they’ll be performing for the spring concert. The kids are so adorable, and their parents will be thrilled.
After class is done, I check my phone and see a text from Sophie and one from Hunter. My thoughts go back to the night of Maddie’s birthday party and the night Hunter and I got together. After that, I knew they’d be completely over the moon when I told them about Hunter and me being official. The next morning, we did a three-way call, and when I told them about Hunter coming home and demanding I explain myself, they both said finally , but were definitely happy for us. Of course I skipped all the steamy details, but they got the gist.
Sitting in my car, I decide to open Sophie’s text first. Ever since she moved in with Weston, I haven’t seen her as much lately, and I miss our time together. Between her busy work schedule and spending her free time with her boyfriend, it’s gotten harder to get together.
Sophie
Wanna meet at the grocery store after work? I need to pick up some things, plus I miss you!
Lennon
Yeah! When?
Sophie
I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes. See you soon!
I open my texts and read the one from Hunter, and I feel a ball lodged in my throat.
Hunter
I asked Mrs. Locke if she could keep Allie overnight so we can go on a proper date, and she said yes! Get ready to be wined and dined, my love.
I immediately call him.
“Hey you,” he says nonchalantly, but I know he’s smirking.
“She can’t stay overnight. I didn’t pack everything she needs. Hunter, she doesn’t have her favorite blanket or extra bottles or?—”
“Lennon.” He chuckles. “I packed all that. Plus, Mrs. Locke knows how to take care of her. She’s super attentive to everything that little girl could possibly need. Take a deep breath, sweetheart. She’s going to be perfectly fine. And if something goes wrong, we’ll be the first ones to get a call, but trust me that nothing is going to happen.”
With a racing heart, I sit silent on the phone, thinking about how unprepared I was for her to have a sleepover. The last time she did, it took tons of planning. I had to make sure there was extra breast milk, diapers, and…the list goes on and on.
“Do you trust me?” he asks, pulling me from my thoughts.
“You know I do,” I say without hesitation.
“Then trust me. I have something fun planned for us. You deserve a night out.”
I release a breath and try to calm down. “Well, Sophie wanted to meet me at the grocery store after work. Do I have time?”
“Yeah, I won’t be home until six-ish to get you, so that works out perfectly.”
I can tell he’s smiling.
“Alright. I’ll see you then.”
“It’s going to be fine,” he reminds me before we exchange I love yous.
As soon as we end the call, I head to the store. It doesn’t take me long to get there, and I end up waiting for her at the entrance. As soon as I see her, my face contorts because she looks like total shit. She smiles as if nothing is wrong as we walk in. Her hair is disheveled, and she has bags under her eyes like she hasn’t been getting much sleep. I’m fucking worried. Ever since she started dating Weston, her demeanor has changed. My sister isn’t that happy-go-lucky girl anymore, and it’s more noticeable than ever right now.
“So how’s school been?” She goes straight to the vegetables, not making eye contact with me.
“It’s been great. Getting ready for the spring concert next week,” I say and notice bruises on her arms as she reaches for some bell peppers. I grab her hand and pull her to me to take a closer look. Her eyes meet mine as she jerks her arm back.
Lowering my voice, I stare directly at her. “What happened, Soph?”
She laughs. “It’s nothing.”
“That’s not nothing.” I place my hands on my hips and wait for her to explain.
“Weston was drinking a few days ago and things got out of hand. He grabbed me too hard but didn’t mean to. He felt bad about it afterward.”
I notice the slight bruising on her cheek too. She tried to cover it with concealer, but I can see straight through it. “Did he hit you?”
“It was an accident, Lennon,” she says between gritted teeth.
Shaking my head, I’m so damn pissed that I can barely find my words. “You don’t drink too much, then accidentally hit someone. This is not okay.”
“He promised me it would never happen again, okay?” she snaps, which takes me by surprise. She’s never talked to me this way before. And why the hell is she defending him? “He loves me, Lennon. I know that’s hard for you to believe because no one is allowed to be happy except for you.”
My mouth falls open. “Are you serious right now? I want nothing but the best for you and Maddie. That’s total bullshit that you’d say that to me.”
I turn my body and head toward the exit. Sophie chases after me.
“Lennon, wait. I’m sorry. I don’t want to argue with you.”
I’m so pissed right now that I can barely look at her.
“I didn’t mean to say that. I have a lot going on right now and shouldn’t have taken it out on you. I know you only want the best for me.” Her bottom lip trembles, and I know there’s something she’s not telling me.
“You need to be careful, Sophie. It’s not okay for a man to hit a woman, no matter what, and I’m worried about you. Weston is a dickhead, and I don’t care for him already, then this happens.”
“I know. He promised, and I believe him.” Her meek voice doesn’t sound like her at all, which worries the hell out of me.
“I’m here for you. Don’t let him make excuses for this behavior,” I plead. “There shouldn’t have been a first time.”
“I won’t, and yes, I know,” she tells me, then quickly changes the subject. We continue shopping, and I pick out a few things for the apartment, but I can’t get over the bruises on her arms.
How hard did he grab her to leave thumb and fingerprints like that? The thought makes me seethe and my heart hurts for her so damn bad. After thirty minutes, we finish shopping and check out.
After I help her load everything into her car, I pull her into a hug. “Please take care of yourself and call me if something happens or if you need to get out because he’s drunk again. Promise me.”
She nods and forces a smile. “I promise. But you have to promise me something too.”
“What’s that?”
“You won’t mention this to anyone. Not even Hunter. Please,” she begs.
I narrow my eyes, not wanting to agree. “I will this time. But if I see even the tiniest of marks again, I’m not staying quiet…” I tell her. “And I will call the cops on him.”
“You won’t have to. He’s been super stressed, and he learned his lesson about drinking too much.” She swears to it and then hugs me again. We say our goodbyes, and as I sit inside my car, upset and frustrated, I feel helpless. She’s blinded by love, but I’m not going to let that keep me from voicing how I feel about the asshole.
As I drive home, I push the thoughts of it out of my head for now. My big sister has always been the strongest person I’ve ever known, so I know she can stand up for herself when needed.
By the time I make it to the apartment, it’s nearly five. I bring in our groceries, excited about what Hunter has planned. Our dates consist of ordering in and watching Friends , which neither of us minds, but this will be a nice change of pace.
When I walk inside, pink roses are on the table and a dress hangs on the back of a chair. My mouth falls open when I find an envelope with my name on it.
Lennon,
Considering we never go out, I thought I’d make up for it all at once. A driver will be waiting for you downstairs at 6:30. I’ll see you soon.
Love you!
-Hunter
“That little shit,” I say with a huge smile splashed across my face.
I take another shower to freshen up, then redo my hair and makeup. Before I get dressed, I pull some sexy lingerie from my top drawer and slip it on, then grab the dress Hunter picked out. It’s a high-waisted light blue A-line party dress, fancy as hell and much different from anything I own. Just by looking at this, I have no clue what we’ll be doing, but I’m excited nonetheless.
Looking in the full-length mirror, I’m amazed by how well it fits. Did Hunter take my measurements in my sleep? The thought has me giggling. I rush to my closet and grab a pair of heels, slip them on, then take a deep breath. I have ten minutes. The smile on my lips might be permanent this time. Before I walk out the door, I dial Mrs. Locke’s number to check on Alison.
“Hey, Lennon. How are things going?” she asks.
I laugh at her light tone. “Just checking on you two.”
She lets out a sweet chuckle. “Honey, we’re doing fine. Are you doing okay?”
I realize when she asks me the question, I’m nervous. “I haven’t been on a real date since—” I pause and swallow hard. Since Brandon was alive.
I try to think about my life right now and how Brandon would want me to be happy above all things. It’s a small reminder that it’s okay for me to be okay.
“I know. And it’s the reason you need to have a night out on the town. So quit worrying. We’re fine over here. Enjoy yourself, Lennon. You deserve to.”
Her words repeat in my mind, and I grin. She was surprisingly supportive of Hunter and me being together once we told her. I was nervous at first, but she gave me a look as if she’d known it was coming or something. Apparently, our feelings were obvious to everyone around us too.
“You’re right. Give my girl kisses for me.”
“I will. Have fun.”
After we say our goodbyes, I take a deep breath and leave.
The limo waits downstairs. I get inside and see a bottle of champagne and strawberries. I laugh at how extra he’s being tonight but enjoy myself, like Brandon’s mom suggested, as we drive across town. Eventually, the car slows and I’m utterly speechless when I step out and realize I’m at Fairytale Town.
It’s a theme park based around children’s storybooks, and I’m more confused than ever when I see a man dressed as a toy soldier at Humpty Dumpty’s entrance. I walk up to him, and he hands me a note and a map of the park with a smirk, then goes back into position.
Opening it as fast as I can, I pull the paper from inside and read.
I was once the boy who’d never grow up. You could say I was a part of the lost boys until I found you.
I look at the toy soldier. “I just go inside?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“But isn’t it closed?” I ask, noticing there’s no one around.
“It’s open for you,” he ensures. I’ve heard about this place before but have never visited it as long as I’ve lived in Sacramento. I step under the archway and open the map and look for anything related to his clue. Lost boys. Thinking about it, I realize it’s a Peter Pan reference and scan the map. My eyes land upon the pirate ship, and I follow the sidewalk to it. Upon arriving, a woman dressed like Tinker Bell is waiting. She hands me an envelope, and I hurry and rip it open.
Slow and steady wins the race. Baby, I’d wait a lifetime for you.
I bite my lower lip, grinning, then head toward the Turtle and the Hare attraction. A man is dressed as a referee and gives me another envelope. I thank him and read the next clue.
I don’t need a shoe to know you’re The One.
I’m smiling so big and rush toward the Cinderella coach. Upon arrival, I find a woman dressed as a fairy godmother. I glance at her hands and realize she’s not holding an envelope, but she’s looking at me with soft eyes and a smirk.
“Cinderella, you’ve made it. Now it’s time for me to bring you to the ball to meet your Prince Charming,” she tells me.
I burst out into laughter, realizing now why my dress is this color. I nod, giddy as hell.
“But first.” She pulls a blindfold from out of nowhere. “You’ll need to wear this.”
“Seriously?” I ask but turn around and allow her to put it on me.
My heart pounds so hard in my chest as she slowly guides me down the sidewalk. I try to figure out what Hunter has planned, but I honestly have no clue. We walk a little farther, and she guides me up the stairs until I feel hands— his strong hands—grabbing mine.
“You look beautiful,” Hunter whispers in my ear, and shivers run down my spine as he leads me.
“You have some explaining to do.”
“I know,” he says, then he takes off the blindfold.
My mouth falls open when I see Hunter wearing a suit that fits him perfectly. I turn to see where we are. I’m standing on the Mother Goose stage with bright lights in my eyes. I try to shield the light and see a small crowd of people out there but can’t make out who it is. Looking back at Hunter with wide eyes, I have a mini freak-out because I have no clue what’s going on. When the Friends theme song starts playing, I laugh and slightly relax.
Hunter chuckles, grabs both of my hands, then drops to one knee.
And that’s when what’s happening hits me like a ton of bricks.
Oh my God.
The music softens, and Hunter looks into my eyes with so much love and adoration, I nearly collapse.
He doesn’t even have to speak or ask.
The answer is already yes .