Chapter 26
Reese
“M y jet is on the way to Spokane,” Devon told me as we cuddled on the sofa later that evening after all of his family had departed. “He’s bringing your parents here in the morning. They’re pretty excited to see you.”
I lifted my head from his shoulder, my face astonished as I stared at him. “I need to let them know.”
One of the first things I’d done after we’d gotten Cole to the hospital was to call my mom and dad. I’d blubbered like a baby as I’d spoken to them.
It had felt like every emotion I’d try to shove deep inside me had come tumbling out all at the same time.
My mother had sobbed openly with joy as we spoke.
She’d sounded so relieved that I couldn’t help but feel a large amount of guilt for putting my parents through this ordeal.
I’d rarely seen my father cry, but I could tell he was choking on tears as he’d assured me that they were both fine.
I’d been an emotional mess by the end of that phone call, but I’d told my parents I’d call them in the morning.
I’d expected to have to fly to Spokane as soon as possible. I desperately needed to hug my parents.
“No need,” he explained. “I already talked to them while you were getting facial bone X-rays in the ER. They both wanted to get to you as soon as possible, and I knew you’d want the same. They actually liked the idea of coming here. Your dad said he’d always wanted to visit Montana, but he was a little baffled about the private jet.”
Of course my parents had been surprised. They were wealthy, but not private jet wealthy.
“What did you tell him about who you were? I never had the chance to tell them about any of my life here. I was going to do that in person.”
He shrugged. “I told him I was one of the many people who cared about you here in Crystal Fork. I figured you hadn’t gotten around to telling him that I’m the guy you have wild sex with every chance we get.”
I laughed and smacked him on the shoulder playfully. “I wouldn’t tell my parents about that under any circumstances.” I hesitated a second before I added, “Thank you. I really need to see them right now. I want to see for myself that they’re doing okay. My dad mentioned that they’d both decided to retire a few months ago.”
It probably wasn’t unusual that Devon had anticipated my needs and taken care of everything. He was just that thoughtful of a guy, and he was used to taking charge of things.”
“Marta and Kevin both sound like great people,” Devon said.
“They are,” I confirmed, surprised that he was on a first name basis with my parents. “Just how long of a conversation did you have with my parents?”
He grinned. “Long enough to find out that they both love to fish and to tell them that Kaleb has a river on his property full of fish to catch.”
“They’d both love that,” I said with a sigh. “Would you mind if they stayed here for a little while?”
I’d just given up my apartment recently and moved everything here to Devon’s house because he’d informed me that I was never going back to staying by myself.
I hadn’t argued with him about that because I really hadn’t wanted to be alone in my apartment anymore.
Devon’s home was the only place I had to offer my parents for accommodations.
“Did you really just ask me that question?” he asked with mock indignation. “This has been your home, too, Reese. Of course they can stay as long as they want. I’m looking forward to getting to know both of them. I want them to stay.”
“Thank you,” I said gratefully.
I could hardly believe that I’d finally be seeing my parents in a matter of hours. “I can’t believe it’s really over,” I shared with him.
“It’s over,” he grumbled. “No more hiding. No more using an identity that isn’t your own. No more fear of some asshole wanting to kill you.”
All of that really hadn’t sunk in yet for me.
“It’s going to take me a while to get used to that,” I admitted. “It feels like I’ve been in hiding forever.”
“Do you think you’ll be going home with your parents?” he asked in a cautious voice.
Devon and I had never talked about a future together.
We’d been living day by day for the most part.
I’d never been quite sure if our relationship was going to have an expiration date.
I had no doubt that I was head-over-heels in love with Devon, but I wasn’t entirely sure that he felt the same way about me.
I shook my head. “I’d like to stay for a while. I’m not leaving Hannah when she’s so close to her due date, and she doesn’t have time to train and replace me at the moment. I’d like to handle that for her.”
“I’m sure she’ll appreciate that,” he commented lightly.
Okay, he hadn’t said anything about me staying permanently.
Did that mean he expected me to go back to Spokane?
I was mentally and physically wiped out, and I wasn’t sure I could ask him that question right now.
I’d always known that this relationship might not be a forever thing, but I wasn’t sure how I’d go through a life without Devon in it anymore.
Just the thought of that made my heart hurt.
We could probably do a long-distance thing, but that would be difficult for me.
Devon was anything but a casual boyfriend for me now.
He probably never had been.
I’d been crazy about him even when I’d offered him a friends with benefits relationship.
Now…he was my everything.
Relax, Reese. You don’t know what’s going to happen in the future yet.
“It’s not like I have a job to go back to,” I mumbled. “I’m going to have to find a new job.”
Devon stroked a soothing hand over my back. ‘One step at a time, sweetheart. It’s going to take time to adjust back to your old life and identity.”
I took a deep breath and let it out. I’d been living day to day for a while now. I could keep on doing it a little longer.
He was right. Everything felt off for me right now. I could go back to Spokane and pick up my old life with a new job change, but that just didn’t appeal to me anymore.
Not only was I in love with a man who lived in Crystal Fork, but I’d become close to so many of the people who resided here.
I’d called two of my closest friends in Spokane.
They had been concerned about me, and we’d spoken like old friends, but they’d moved on with their lives.
It had been a year since the shooting, and I’d been gone for a long time.
One of them was engaged now, and the other had a new guy in her life.
While I’d always be close to them, I didn’t feel the same bond that I did now with Hannah, Lauren, and Anna.
If I had to leave my life here in Montana, it was going to tear my heart out.
“You’re thinking too much,” Devon said as he dropped a kiss on top of my head. “Relax.”
“I should be relaxed, right?” I questioned him. “It’s over, and that’s something I’ve desperately wanted for a long time.”
“Today was traumatic,” he argued. “Of course you’re not relaxed. It’s not like they apprehended the asshole, and you never had to see him again.”
“I feel horrible about what happened to Cole,” I said remorsefully.
“He’ll live,” Devon said drily. “Although he might be unhappy about having his doting aunt by his side all the time.”
I smiled. He’d already told me about Millie’s determination to nurse Cole back to health. “But he’ll eat well, and he needs his family. Cole might have an abrasive personality, but he’s a good man, Devon. I’ll be his friend for life, whether he wants it or not. He saved my life.”
“Which is exactly why I’ll owe him for the rest of my life,” Devon told me. “I should have been with you—”
“Don’t start,” I said as I put a finger on his lips. “I was on your mother’s property. Nobody knew he was coming here. There’s no way you could be with me every minute of every day, and I was in a safe place. It was a freak occurrence that he just happened to pull into town at the exact moment that I was close enough to be seen from the road. It’s over, Devon, and Burke is the only one who died. Let it go.”
“Not going to happen,” he muttered. “Seeing that bastard with a gun pointed in your direction is going to haunt my nightmares for a long time.”
“You protected me,” I reminded him. “I don’t think there’s another person in the world that could have taken me down and covered my body as quickly as you did.”
“Pure panic,” he insisted. “Natural instinct.”
“Everything you did saved my life, too. You came after me. Ralph was there at exactly the right moment to take Burke down.”
“Kaleb said he was here to grill you about everything that happened,” Devon said in an unhappy tone.
“I don’t think he had a choice,” I mused. “He needed to justify the fact that he killed the bad guy. He’s going to be at the hospital bright and early to interview Cole, too. Maybe this is horrible, but I’m glad he’s dead. Kyle was completely innocent, and he had so much to offer patients who needed his help. He was also one of the most kindhearted friends I’ve ever had. Maybe some of it is selfish, too. The boogieman is gone and not just in a different location in prison.”
“Hell, I’m glad he’s dead, Reese. I wouldn’t expect you to feel any other way.”
God, that was one of the reasons I loved this man.
Even when I had feelings that were against my nature, Devon made me feel like they were completely normal.
He never judged anything I thought or did.
“Do you want another glass of wine?” he asked as he nodded his head at the empty glass on the coffee table.
I shook my head.
All I wanted to do was forget what had happened today.
“I think I’m ready for bed. I could use a good distraction,” I murmured suggestively as I nuzzled his neck.
If tonight, tomorrow, or the next few weeks was all I’d ever have with Devon, I didn’t want to waste a single moment of it.
I wanted to be skin-to-skin with this man and savor the way I always felt when I was with him.
“Reese, it was a long day for you…” his voice trailed off, and I knew he was trying to do what was best for me.
I kissed him, a long, slow, sensual kiss that told him exactly what I needed.
“I want to be with you, Devon,” I said as I got on my knees and rested my forehead against his. “Do you really have a problem with that?”
“Fuck, no!” he said as he wrapped his arms tightly around me. “There’s never going to be a time when I don’t want exactly the same thing.”
“Then take me to bed and make me forget everything that happened today. You’re the only man who can. Make love to me.”
I didn’t have to ask twice.
Devon rose and swept me up into his arms, carried me upstairs, and gave me exactly what I wanted.