38. Hadley
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Hadley
Walking into the kitchen, I find Mom setting a plate full of food on the table. “Oh, I didn’t know you were cooking lunch,” I tell her.
“I was hungry,” she says pointedly.
She’s doing so much better now that she’s a couple of months out from her surgery. Her mobility has increased, and her pain has lessened.
She still has things she has to deal with as far as her MS goes, and in time, things will progress, but for now, we’re taking a win as a win.
Grabbing a glass from the cabinet, I try to put the thoughts of this morning out of my head. When I got to work and found Cash’s kennel empty, my stomach sank.
I’m trying desperately to hold on to the fact that Sienna said he’s with a great family now, who is going to love him so much.
She wouldn’t tell me who they are, which is probably for the best. He wasn’t mine, but over the last few months, it really started to feel like he was.
Sighing, I run my hand over my face and realize there isn’t any other food on the counter or stove. Did she just cook for herself?
She speaks up like she read my thoughts. “You aren’t going to be eating here,” she says with a barely contained smirk on her face.
I fill the glass with water. “And why wouldn’t I be eating here?”
“Because you’re coming with me,” Conrad’s voice comes from behind me.
My eyes roam between the two of them as Conrad gives my mom a loving smile that she returns with a gentleness that doesn’t usually come from her.
My mom is the fiercest woman I’ve ever met. It’s one of the things I love the most about her. But there’s a calmness to her now as she looks at Conrad like she’s trusting him with something.
“Oh, okay,” is all I get out, trying to process what’s going on. I set my glass on the counter as he grabs my hand.
As we’re stepping out of the kitchen, I turn back to look at my mom over my shoulder. It almost looks like there’s tears in her eyes, but she blinks and they’re gone.
“Remember that life you told me you were going to go live,” she tells me with a wink.
I swallow, feeling the weight of something unknown yet not uncomfortable settle over me. Conrad’s hand squeezes mine, reassuring me.
“Go on. Let me eat in peace,” my mom says, returning to her normal snarky self.
“Love you, Mom,” I tell her, following Conrad to the front door.
“Love you, too,” I hear her say as I step outside.
“Conrad, where are we going?”
“You’ll see in a minute,” he says, pulling the truck to a stop on the side of the road.
My head swivels around, trying to figure out why he would be parked here. Wait. Is that the house Evelyn pointed at a few weeks ago?
I’m pretty sure it is, but all the lumber and equipment are gone. I’m pretty sure it has new siding and windows, too.
Conrad swings open my door. I didn’t even realize he’d gotten out of the truck.
I slide my hand into his. Rounding the front of the truck, I’m still questioning where he’s taking me until I see Austin and Brooks step out onto the porch of the small house.
“What’s going on?” I whisper to Conrad as we walk down the sidewalk that leads to the porch steps.
“I’d rather show you than tell you.”
Brooks pulls me in for a hug at the top of the steps, energy exuding from every inch of him. His giddiness sets some of my nerves over the unknown at ease.
Austin is leaning against the door frame where the bright blue front door hangs. I always wanted a bright-colored door.
He wraps his arm around my shoulders, turning to open the door. “You ready?”
Ready? For what?
“I guess so,” I say, because if these three men are here, I’m ready for whatever life throws our way.
He swings open the door, guiding me into the space. My eyes roam over the interior of what I expected to look like a house, but it doesn’t.
I feel Conrad and Brooks step in behind us as my mind starts to process what this is. It’s a studio.
The majority of the first floor of the building has been renovated into one large room with small sectioned-off alcoves giving more wall space for artwork— or photography.
The front desk to the right of the doorway is made out of a beautiful light-colored wood. Aspen, I think.
Looking around, I realize most of the space is made from the pale wood. It gives the place a light, airy feel that would allow people’s work to be showcased in all its beauty.
“What is this?” I ask, my voice barely a whisper, because I think a part of me already knows.
I can’t look at any of them right now, so I keep my eyes roaming around, taking in every detail of the gorgeous space as I take a few steps forward.
“A studio,” Brooks says.
I turn around to face all of them.
“Your studio,” Austin adds.
My hands fly to my face. Tears immediately spring to my eyes. “You… you made this for me.”
They all nod.
I spin, taking in the space with new eyes. Seeing all the details they put into this. For me. Tears start falling down my cheeks.
“I… I don’t know what to say,” I get out, facing them again.
Conrad steps forward, wiping my tears away. “You don’t need to say anything. Just use this space to make your dreams come true, if that’s what you want.”
It’s absolutely what I want. But I can’t seem to formulate any of those words right now, so I just nod. His arms wrap around me as I lean into his chest.
Wiping away the last of my tears, I turn to look around the studio again. My studio.
Brooks steps in behind me, his arms wrapping around my shoulders. “Do you like it?” he asks, sounding both nervous and eager.
I tilt my head to the side so I can look into his eyes. “I love it.”
He bites his lip like he wants to say something, but he settles for kissing my lips gently instead.
“There’s more. Come on,” Austin says, lacing his fingers through mine. We walk up the stairs at the back of the studio that lead to the second floor.
At the top, I see a gorgeous office space with a breathtaking view of the mountain out the big windows along the side of the building.
“Oh my gosh,” I gasp.
He keeps tugging my hand. There’s more?
He opens a door to a completely dark room. Until he flicks on the light, I have no idea what’s inside. When I realize what it is, more tears flood my eyes.
“We didn’t know if you’d want to process any of your own photographs, but we wanted you to have the space to do it.”
A darkroom? They made me a darkroom in my very own photography studio?
I launch myself into Austin’s arms, burying my face in his neck as I quietly cry. One of his hands tracks up and down my back while the other grips the back of my thigh, holding me in place.
When my breathing calms, he sets me down on one of the counters. Over his shoulder, I see the twins standing just inside the doorway.
“You didn’t need to do this,” I tell them, my voice still heavy with emotion. I still can’t believe they did all of this for me.
Austin’s hands frame either side of my face. “Yeah, we did, angel.”
I try to drag in a lung full of air, but it feels damn near impossible right now.
“I don’t ever want you to feel like you’re settling because you’re in Aspen Springs. We wanted to give you a place to make your dreams happen even from here.”
Settling? What is he talking about? This is the only place I would want to run a photography business from. It’s the only place I want to live.
All my favorite people are here. There isn’t anywhere else I would want to be.
“I don’t want to do this anywhere else. Aspen Springs is my home. It was when I was a kid because of my family.” New tears spring to my eyes at what I’m about to say. “And it is now because of you three.”
Austin lets out a breath that it seems like he’s been holding for longer than he’d probably admit. I gesture for the other two to come over closer. They step on either side of Austin, crowding in close.
I’ve never said this to a man before, but I guess I’m going to say this to three of them now.
“I love you guys,” I say, my eyes connecting with each of them.
“What the fuck?” Brooks says, scowling at me. “I was going to say it first. I’ve been struggling not to say it for…” He pauses. “I don’t know… a long time.”
I bite my lip to keep from laughing at him.
Conrad tilts my chin toward him. “I love you, too, sweetheart. So much. I’m pretty sure I half fell in love with you on that airplane, but every day since has just solidified it for me.”
Fuck. I need to drink some water. I’m going to be dehydrated after this.
His thumbs wipe my tears away before he leans in to kiss me.
I hear Brooks groan from my other side, but Austin rests his forehead against mine.
“Hadley, I’m in love with you in a way I never thought I would let myself be, but for you, it was worth it. I love you, angel.” He kisses away a few more tears that fall.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Brooks groans, running his hands through his hair that falls around his shoulders.
I smirk as I scooch over on the counter until he’s situated between my legs. “Did you have something to say, handsome?” I say, wrapping my arms around his shoulders.
“Yeah, I wanted to say that I love that you always have hair ties if I need one. I love how you look in my hoodies. I love how sweet your pussy tastes.”
I snort out a laugh, but his face is dead serious, so I keep my mouth shut.
“I love how you fit perfectly into my side when we’re cuddling.” His shoulders shrug. “I just love our life with you in it. You make everything better, baby.”
I press my lips to his. “That was super sweet, but I’m pretty sure you never said ‘I love you’ in all of that.”
His head jerks back, and I try to keep the smile from my face.
“Well, I do. I love you.”
“I know. I love you, too,” I say, trapping my bottom lip between my teeth.
He growls, lifting me off the counter and over his shoulder. His hand lands on my ass.
“You’re going to pay for that, Trouble.” He makes his way back through the building and to the trucks parked outside.
He sets me down on the ground. “Where are we going now?” I ask, looking to all three of them for answers.
“We have one more surprise for you,” Conrad says.