7
EVERLY
“ BYE, GIGI. BYE, PAPA,” LOLA yells from the window as Dylan pulls out of the driveway, the headlights cutting through the dark. “Bye, Presley and Jack! Bye, Cash and Everly!”
“See you tomorrow, ladybug,” Johanna calls out as we all wave goodbye from the front porch. I hear Waffles and the puppies barking in the back seat as they drive away.
Dinner with the Staffords felt like old times. It was a loud, chaotic, and lively affair. The Stafford siblings still tease each other mercilessly, but the love they share is unmistakable.
Harrison pulled me aside before leaving to return to the city and told me he’d call Cash tomorrow once we’ve discussed how we’ll move forward. He wanted to make sure I knew I could come to him directly if I needed someone to talk to. It means a lot that he didn’t demand Cash and I stay together, but didn’t miss the subtle warning in his tone that one solution would be far less complicated than the other.
“Well, we better get going,” Cash announces. “It’s getting late and the pilot wants to get a move on if we’re going to leave for London tonight.”
“Don’t be silly.” Johanna waves him off. “It’s late. You and Everly are spending the night. You can fly back tomorrow once you’ve had a good night’s rest.”
I have a sneaking suspicion she has an ulterior motive for suggesting we stay, considering the private jet we took here is the definition of luxurious.
“Thanks for the offer, Mom, but we really need to get back,” Cash tells her.
I’m glad to see him stand his ground—unlike earlier when he couldn’t tell her the truth about our relationship. Not that I’m bitter about it or anything.
“Nonsense,” Johanna pushes back. “You’ve had a long day, and it would be best if you stayed here. Don’t you agree, Mike?”
He glances between his wife and son. “You kids are welcome to spend the night,” he answers diplomatically.
“I don’t think—”
“I insist,” Johanna interrupts. “You’re staying with us, and that’s final.”
Cash lets out a loud sigh as he glances in my direction. “Fine, Mom, you win. We’ll stay.”
This cannot be happening.
My eyes widen. I’m ready to confront him and demand that we leave tonight, but one look at Johanna stops me. She has a warm smile on her face, but there’s a determined glint in her eye. She’s made up her mind.
So, I’m staying at the Staffords’ tonight.
But Cash and I are definitely talking about this once I get him alone.
“Doesn’t this remind you of when you stayed here for the first time?” Presley smirks at Jack.
“It does.” He tugs her close to his side and places a kiss on her temple.
“We fell in love here,” Presley explains when she notices my quizzical expression. “I was living in New York, working as Jack’s assistant. He’s the CEO of Sinclair Group, a large investment firm. After three years of sidestepping our mutual attraction, a disastrous work trip to Aspen Grove ended up with us pretending to date because my family despised my boss.”
I stiffen at her mention of them fake dating. It’s eerily similar to the situation Cash and I are in, except we took it a step too far and got hitched.
“The night we arrived,” she continues, “my mom insisted we stay here in my childhood room with only one bed since we told her we were a couple.”
“Little did we know that Johanna knew all along that we were pretending and that I was Presley’s boss,” Jack chimes in.
Wait, did Presley just say one bed?
I let out a nervous laugh, unsure how else to respond. My mind flashes to memories of Cash’s childhood bedroom, and I panic.
“At least tonight won’t be awkward since you’re married and all.” Presley beams at me.
She has no idea.
“Good night, sweetheart.” Johanna pats Cash on the shoulder. “I’m so glad you’re here, Everly.” She gives me a passing kiss on the cheek.
“Me too,” Presley adds. “I’ve always wanted sisters-in-laws, and I’m so happy I now have you and Marlow. Although we’re still waiting for her and Dylan to make it official.”
Guilt washes over me, worried about disappointing her when she finds out the truth.
Before I can respond, Cash ushers me inside and upstairs to the second floor. I tense as he pushes open the door to his childhood room.
“After you,” he says, his hazel eyes lingering on me as I brush past him. My pulse quickens at the touch, and I suppress the urge to glance back.
His room hasn’t changed much since high school. The full-sized bed has a navy-blue bedspread and pillows, with a nightstand and lamp on each side. A black dresser beside the closet is topped with several lacrosse trophies and two photos from before his accident—one of his family and the other of him, Theo, and me sitting on his parent’s porch on our first day of high school.
The space is much smaller than I remember. This isn’t going to work.
I take a step back, bumping into Cash before I can attempt to make a break for it.
He closes the door and must recognize the irritation etched on my face.
“Are you okay?” he asks, gently touching my arm.
“You did not just ask me that.” I shrug his hand off, but the warmth from it lingers on my skin. “Your brothers are more concerned about the gravity of the matter than you are, and they’re not the ones who woke up married this morning,” I remind him. “There’s nothing wrong with rolling with the punches, but this is a marriage we’re talking about. I need you to take this seriously.”
“Ev, relax,” he says in a soothing tone. “We’ll get this all sorted out, I promise. Let’s take my mom’s advice and get some rest. I’m sure things will seem less daunting tomorrow.”
I inhale a long breath through my nose and count to five before exhaling. The last thing we need is for Johanna to come upstairs to check on us, wondering why we’re fighting on our first day as newlyweds.
“Delaying this conversation will not make it go away,” I mutter, folding my arms across my chest.
“Is there something you want to get off your chest?” Cash prompts.
“Yes, several things, actually,” I answer honestly. “For starters, you should have told me about the acquisition while we were at the hotel. Even if I knew, we should have discussed it beforehand. You and your brothers blindsiding me this afternoon was humiliating.”
From a logical standpoint, I understand Cash didn’t deliberately withhold information. He assumed I knew about the business deal, but it doesn’t stop me from expressing my annoyance.
“And it wasn’t fair of you to put me in this position—the family photos and spending the night here.” I gesture around the room. “I understand you’re close to your family, but they deserve the truth. I don’t like the idea of keeping secrets from them.”
He’s not the one his parents and Presley will hate once the truth comes out. Plus, it’s not like his brothers will fire him if this all goes south. I have so much more to lose.
“Is that all?” he retorts. “Don’t hold back. I can handle honesty.”
“That’s debatable,” I mumble under my breath. “You’ve been acting like this isn’t a serious predicament.”
“At least I have a sense of humor,” he says. “You’re plenty serious for the both of us.”
“Oh my god, you’re absolutely insufferable,” I say loudly, throwing my hands in the air in frustration.
Cash’s eyes soften at my reaction. “I’m sorry, Ev. I’m not intentionally trying to make things more complicated.” His tone is apologetic.
He has always used humor to navigate difficult situations he’s unsure how to confront. While it’s not my preferred approach, I recognize the importance of being understanding and supportive. We’re in this together, for better or worse.
“We’re both doing the best we can.” I give him a wry smile. “There’s not exactly a handbook on how to navigate waking up accidentally married to your brother’s best friend.”
Cash’s eyes light up with amusement. “She does have a funny side.”
“You bring out the worst in me,” I tease, and he gives me a broad smile. “Listen, the most pressing issue right now is that we don’t have our suitcases. What am I supposed to sleep in?”
We left our luggage on the plane since we were supposed to only be here for a few hours.
“You can wear one of my T-shirts,” Cash says, going over to the dresser in the corner. He pulls out a gray T-shirt and tosses it in my direction.
“I can’t wear this,” I tell him as I catch it.
On closer inspection, I see that it’s the Linkin Park T-shirt he let me borrow back in high school. He and Theo had been obsessed with the band when we were in eleventh grade. When they came to Maine during their tour, Cash and Theo got tickets, and I tagged along. One of the many perks of having a twin is you have built-in friends. Someone standing next to us spilled a drink on my shirt, and Cash saved the day, letting me wear the band tee he’d bought as a souvenir.
We got back to Aspen Grove late, and Johanna insisted we stay at their place. Theo and I ended up sleeping on the floor in Cash’s room. I can’t remember the last time I had as much fun as I did that night.
“It’s either that or sleep in your underwear. I don’t mind either way.” Cash smirks.
I take deep breaths to maintain my composure. He’s only lightening the mood, and I should appreciate his effort. It would be far worse if he were grumpier than I am.
“You remember where the bathroom is?” He nods toward the connecting door.
“Yup.”
I clutch the shirt close to my chest as I make a mad dash to the bathroom, locking the door behind me. Once I’m alone, I set the band tee on the counter and look into the mirror. My reflection portrays a polished, put-together businesswoman, but inside, I’m a hot mess.
“God, this is such a disaster,” I mutter as I fight back tears.
How could I have let a routine business trip to Vegas end with a spontaneous marriage, and potentially face a reality where I can’t get out of it for the foreseeable future because of a deal between our family businesses that I knew nothing about?
“What am I going to do?” I ask my reflection.
The silence is deafening. I consider calling August, but it’s the middle of the night in London. Besides, there’s nothing he can do to help. Who am I kidding? He’d commend me for my irresponsible behavior.
I hate to say it, but maybe Cash is right. Tomorrow is a new day; hopefully, things won’t seem so bleak come morning.
The soles of my feet throb, and I grip the counter to keep steady as I slip my heels off, sighing in relief when my feet touch the cool tile. They’re my favorite heels, but they’re not the most practical when standing for hours.
I check the top drawer to find several toothbrushes still in the packaging. It looks like Johanna hasn’t changed much around the house in the past fourteen years.
After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I change into Cash’s T-shirt. Even after being in a drawer for years, it holds the faint scent of his cologne—citrus, musk, and sandalwood. The shirt hits my mid-thighs, and I curse myself for not asking for a pair of sweats.
For a moment, I consider sleeping on the bathroom floor, but quickly decide against it. Minutes ago, I was scolding Cash for being immature, and now I’m hiding out, which is just as bad.
After giving the bottom of the T-shirt a firm tug, I ease the door open and peek my head into the bedroom. Cash is sitting in bed, back against the headboard, with the covers pulled up to his waist as he reads something on his phone. He must have used the bathroom down the hall to get ready.
His bare chest is on display, and I catch a glimpse of his sculpted stomach. My gaze peruses the defined contours while he’s preoccupied.
Thankfully, I come to my senses before he catches me ogling him… again. I have a bad habit where he’s concerned, but it’s not my fault he’s so damn sexy.
I straighten my spine and cross the room. I’m halfway to the bed when he looks up, his gaze shamelessly trailing down my bare legs.
“You’re staring,” I snap, not caring that I’m being hypocritical. It’s not like he saw me checking him out, so it’s irrelevant.
“I remember the night I bought that shirt,” he says, gesturing at me with a lazy grin.
My stomach flips as a rush of warmth flows through me, knowing he remembers that night with the same fondness as I do.
I clear my throat. “Speaking of T-shirts, where’s yours?” I nod to his bare chest.
“I sleep naked,” he ribs me, his eyes twinkling when he notices my jaw drop. “Don’t worry, just from the waist up. Besides, given your ogling when you came out of the bathroom, I don’t think you mind.”
A blush spreads across my cheeks. “Sure, from a distance you’re easy on the eyes, but the second you open your mouth, all bets are off,” I taunt.
“And yet you still married me,” he says as his gaze drifts back to my legs.
“Why do you have to be so infuriating?” I hold my hand up when he opens his mouth. “Don’t answer that; it was a rhetorical question.”
I gingerly climb into bed next to him. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough pillows or space to build a barrier between us, so I slide as close to the edge as possible.
Before I can turn off the lamp on my side of the bed, my phone buzzes, and several texts appear on the screen.
Landon: I had a meeting with your dad yesterday.
Landon: I’ll be in London in a few weeks and want to take you to dinner.
Landon: I miss you, babe.
Even after two years, he won’t leave me alone. He cheated on me but thinks I should forgive him. Usually, when he’s had too much to drink, he reaches out, begging me to take him back, and other times, he’s vindictive and bitter because I called off our engagement. The first time he texted me after our broken engagement I blocked his number, but the next week he texted me from a new one.
It doesn’t help that he does business with Townstead International and that my dad thinks we should be together.
Another reason Cash and I shouldn’t be getting involved. I don’t mix business and pleasure anymore.
“Who’s texting you this late?” Cash leans over, trying to get a glimpse of my phone screen.
“Nobody,” I reply too quickly, turning the screen away from him.
“Uh-huh.” His tone is skeptical. “Make sure to tell whoever he is that you’re in bed with your husband. That should shut him up.”
I raise a brow. “How do you know it’s a guy?”
“Only an ex, a lover, or a previous hookup would text you at this hour on the weekend.”
He’s spot-on, but I’m not about to admit it.
“Good night, Stafford,” I say, sidestepping his remark. “You better stay on your side of the bed,” I warn him as I turn off the lamp.
“You weren’t concerned about designated sides of the bed last night,” he mocks in a playful tone.
I fluff my pillow and settle into it, facing him. “That was the tequila, not me.”
“Oh, so now we’re playing the blame game?” He grins from ear to ear. “In that case, I’ll do what I can to stay on my side, but this mattress has a habit of pushing me to the middle of the bed.”
“You’re unbelievable,” I scoff.
“I try my best.” He winks before he turns, his back facing me.
Why does it irk me he had the final word? No matter how many insults I toss at him, he remains unfazed.
I flip over to face away from him as he turns off his bedside lamp, plunging the room into darkness, and I squeeze my eyes shut. I’m not a fan of the dark. A few seconds go by, and Cash shifts around to get comfortable.
His back touches mine, but he doesn’t move away. I refrain from saying anything, deciding it will only encourage him. Instead, I remain still, concentrating on my controlled breaths.
While I wait for sleep to take me, my mind drifts to our unexpected kiss this afternoon.
When the photographer told Cash to kiss me, I should have protested, but there was a part of me desperate to feel his mouth on mine—the brief moment we shared at the chapel had me longing for more. As I met his gaze, I felt the gentle whisper of his breath on my skin. When our mouths met, it sparked a wildfire of affection I never wanted to end. The desire to keep him close outweighed all logical reasoning.
I press my thighs together, determined to banish the unwanted thoughts from my mind. But it’s difficult when the man haunting my dreams is lying next to me. Unable to fall asleep, my mind wanders to our night in Vegas.
Cash throws a hundred-dollar bill on the table and takes my hand.
“Where are we going?” I ask as he weaves through the piano bar, tugging me along.
“You just agreed to marry me. There’s no way in hell that I’m waiting another second to officially make you Everly Stafford.”
He opens the door to the club, and makes his way down the street.
“Stafford, wait,” I grab his arm and force him to stop in the middle of the sidewalk. “What do you mean you don’t want to wait another second? You literally just asked me.”
Cash’s expression softens, a smile forming on his lips. He cups my cheek with his hand, and traces my jaw with his fingertips. “I’ve wanted you since the tenth grade, Ev. There’s no way I’m letting the chance to call you mine slip through my fingers now.”
My mouth falls open, and my eyes widen at his declaration.
“You’re joking.”
He shakes his head. “I’ve had a crush on you since you walked into our tenth-grade English class with your hair falling down your back in waves and wearing your favorite Doc Martens. You gave me one of your signature smiles, and I was a goner.”
I tilt my head and nibble on my lower lip. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Theo caught me staring and confronted me after class. He made it clear that you were off-limits if I wanted to stay his friend, and I couldn’t risk losing you both.”
“What’s changed?
“Now I know what it’s like to live a life without you in it.”
I blink up at him, unable to speak. This is madness. I should ask Cash to take me back to my hotel, but the hopeless romantic inside me that’s been dormant for years has resurfaced and refuses to miss her chance at the happily ever after she used to dream of. No matter how fleeting it may be.
I’m pulled from the memory, when Cash shifts in bed. A reminder that the hopeless romantic won out and I’m now in bed with my husband.
I still can’t believe we got married.
There’s something intoxicating about his confession that he’s had feelings for me since high school, and my heart races, recalling the warmth of being held in his arms last night. It makes it so much harder to resist the temptation to move to his side of the bed to be close to him again.
It’s going to be a long night.