Chapter 13
Everly
Islept like the dead, and I now understand that expression.
If I’ve ever had a better night’s sleep in my life, I can’t recall.
With Julian’s body still spooned around mine, I hesitate to move.
I want to get out of bed and brush my teeth before he wakes up, then sneak back into bed and finish what we started last night.
I feel bad for falling asleep on him, but I’d also never had an orgasm like the one I had last night.
Granted, I only have my experience with Julian to base it on, but I might’ve left this plane of existence momentarily—like an out-of-body experience.
Does everyone have sex like us? God, I hope so. If I were a cat, I’d purr.
As soon as I start to shift, he tightens his grip. In seconds I know he’s no longer asleep. He nuzzles my neck and places a kiss behind my ear.
“I’m just going to brush my teeth. Wanna come?” Realizing my choice of words, I amend, “Want to join me?”
His endearing little chuckle hits my ears before he says, “I’ll take option A. And I have an idea how to avoid morning breath.”
As ideas go, it might be my new favorite. The most intense for sure.
Afterwards, we slide right back into our spoon position, spent, his arms snug around me, both catching our breaths.
I want to overthink how much we do it, but I squash the train.
I’m too busy catching my breath and marveling at how fucking delicious it all feels.
Surely there is no such thing as too much sex.
Right? I make a mental note to ask Lilly her opinion next time we talk.
For a couple of minutes neither of us speaks or moves, except to regulate our breathing.
I’m drawing lazy circles on his forearm with my fingernail when my phone dings with Via’s ringtone.
“Shit.” I snag my phone off the charger. “Hey, Via. I’ll call you right back. Okay, two minutes.” I feel his kiss on my shoulder before he pulls his arms back from my midsection as I disconnect the call and set the phone down on the edge of the nightstand.
“Your sister, the cockblocker.” His deep voice rumbles against my back before his lips return to my skin.
“Her timing is improving. Don’t you think?”
“If we’re grading on a curve, sure. But I wasn’t quite ready to let you go.” To prove his point, he nuzzles his cheek across my shoulder. His spiky facial hair raises goosebumps on my arms.
Sitting up, I turn and brush a lock of hair off his forehead and get lost in his penetrating blue eyes. “Hi, boyfriend.”
“Hi, lover.” His eyes are half-mast and a little sleepy, his voice deeper with the morning hour.
My stomach flips on the new endearment. God, I love this man. And I want to kiss him so badly. “I’m brushing my teeth, then coming back to kiss you.”
“Before or after you call Via?”
“Via can wait.”
“In that case, I’ll brush mine too.” He swats my ass as I roll off the bed and stretch on my way to the bathroom.
***
Walking down the stairs ten minutes later, I pull the phone away from my ear as Via squeals.
“He proposed,” she screeches.
“Wait. What? You’re already engaged. I was there. We had a party.”
“No. I know. But he wanted to give me—I’m getting ahead of myself.”
I snicker. “Okay. Start from the beginning. Tell me everything.”
“He took me to Half Moon Bay. Just a quick overnighter. But after dinner, we went for a walk on Maverick Beach. It was low tide, so we made it all the way to the end where the big rock wall is. He pointed to the sunset, and when I turned to look, he said, ‘It’s beautiful, isn’t it?
’ And when I turned back to answer him, he was kneeling in the sand with a ring.
The ring. His grandma’s ring. He’d been waiting for her to get back from her trip to get it. ”
“Oh my God. Did you cry?”
“Duh. Thank God for waterproof mascara.” We both giggle. Via sobers and adds, “We want to get married right away. I mean, we already live together. And . . . we wanna do it at Blue Lake. Like at Brew. On the beach. Would you . . . could we . . . Would it be impossible to pull off?”
“Noooo.” Yes. “Definitely not impossible. Let me talk to Julian. I think we can make it happen.” And I realize how badly I want to make it happen for her.
The idea of pulling it off with Julian excites me.
Working together, planning the event as a team, doing something for someone who’s part of my life—my old life.
And maybe that’s why. Some part of me wants to show off my life and my relationship to the haters in Oak Valley.
Guess I’m not as evolved as I like to think.
I want Julian to agree to this more than I’ve wanted anything in a long time—except him.
I always want him more than anything else.
***
“They’re getting married.” I set the phone face down on the bar and reach for my coffee.
Julian leans against the counter across from me and sips from his mug, eyeing me over the rim. “Well, they’re engaged, so that’s a reasonable next step,” he responds, lowering his mug.
“It’s just so fast. I mean, I guess they’re already living together, so what’s the difference?”
Julian’s eyebrow arches at my logic.
“For them,” I add.
He lowers it and smirks.
“They wanna do it here. At the beach on Blue Lake. Before the weather gets too cold.”
“So . . . right away . . .” Julian’s eyes look beyond the kitchen, and I can see the wheels turning before he says another word. “This could be fun.”
“Really?” My eyebrows lift as I wait for him to elaborate. Sipping my coffee, I watch him begin to nod, his gaze unfocused like he’s deep in thought.
“Yeah. Pete and Shelley could help. It could be sweet.”
“Ah, what a little romantic you are.” I hide my smile behind another sip of caffeine.
Julian rolls his eyes and drains his cup.
“I got your romance. Want me to show you upstairs in the—” Julian cuts off what he was about to say, clearing his throat, as Auz walks into the kitchen scratching his chest and yawning.
He’s dressed and looking ready to go except for the sleepy stretch.
“Hey. Morning. Want some coffee?” Julian turns to grab a mug out of the cabinet behind his head on Auz’s nod.
“Hey, Auz,” I call as Callie appears right behind him. “Morning, Callie. How’d you guys sleep?” I ask and feel the blush hit my face, wondering if we’d made too much noise last night or this morning.
“Good.” Callie smiles her answer. “It’s so quiet here.”
I catch Julian’s glance, and his half smile is gone before anyone else notices except me. It makes my tummy flip. I clear my throat. “Good, great. Yeah, it, uh, took me a minute to get used to the quiet at first. Almost too quiet.” I smile in agreement. “So, what time do you guys head out?”
“Ashley’s car service will be here in about thirty. We got some great footage. He’ll be pleased.” Callie takes the cup full of coffee Auz hands her and smiles sweetly at him.
“Yeah, we stayed up late going over it all last night. Good stuff,” Auz adds, smiling back at Callie.
I watch them for a couple seconds like a tennis match and realize I never had anything to worry about with Callie.
She and Auz clearly have something between them—whether they’re ready to admit it or not.
“Awesome. Love to hear it. I’m gonna grab a quick shower before you guys head out. If you need anything . . .”
“I got you,” Julian finishes for me, nodding at them, walks over and places a sweet kiss on my temple. His hand slides down my back to rest on my ass like it belongs there, sending a rush of heat to my lower region.
I so love this man. My body does too. I step away and move to the stairs before I abandon my manners and shamelessly drag him with me.
Maybe we do have too much sex. I quickly shake my head at the thought.
Nope. That’s not a thing. It can’t be. It’s too .
. . Calm your tits, Everly. I climb the stairs with a ridiculous grin on my face.
***
“You’re really okay with this? A last-minute wedding? At Brew Beach?” I’m packing lunch and snacks for our day at Fit, addressing him across the kitchen.
“Yeah. I even texted Pete already. And yeah, we’ve gotta work out the logistics, but it sounds like Via wants something simple, intimate. I think it could be special.”
“You know Chase will be the best man. Which means Kendall will come too.”
“I thought about that. If you’re okay with it, I’m okay with it,” he says. “I mean, they played nice at the engagement party, right?” He’s watching me closely as he asks.
I shrug my shoulders in agreement. I am excited for Via.
Blue Lake is an incredible backdrop for a sweet little ceremony.
I can already see it: clear string lights, lanterns, maybe even a fire in the pit, and if Mother Nature cooperates, a majestic sunset like only Blue Lake can deliver.
Without Oak Valley and its bullshit not currently here in my face, I have all the confidence in the world.
Julian’s excitement only adds to my bravery.
We decide to FaceTime them at Brew later and set some basic plans in motion—include Pete and Shelley so we’re all on the same page.
I’m weirdly hyped to plan this for Via. It feels a little like coming home.
I’m not even nervous to see Chase and Kendall.
My life feels good, safe. I’m happy, confident and love where I’m at.
Julian steps into my line of vision, interrupting my seven-mile stare and my thoughts.
I focus in on him and smile.
“Hi, pretty girl.”
“Hi, boyfriend.”
“What’s going on in there?” He ducks his head down and to the side, his intense blue eyes blinking at me through a frame of thick dark lashes.
“I’m just . . . I don’t know . . . so happy. I’m excited to do this for Via. And maybe a little more than excited to show off my new life.” I smile with the heat taking over my face, embarrassed to admit it.
“I’m happy I’m part of the life you want to show off.” He taps my nose and uses that finger to drape a lock of hair behind my ear, making tears prick my eyes.
I lower them so he won’t see, but he knows me too well now.
I can tell he wants to ask me about it but doesn’t want to push me. Instead, he jumps on my tucking-it-away bandwagon, which makes me love him more. He meets me where I’m at. Always.
“C’mon, sweet girl. Let’s go start another day in the life we love, huh?” He pulls me to him with both hands on my ass for a quick kiss and grabs my hand as he pulls me toward the door, snagging the lunch bag I packed off the counter as he does.