Chapter 32
32
WESTON
“ C an you drop us off at JJ’s?” Carlee asks as we turn onto the Christmas tree farm.
“Sure, honey,” Mawmaw tells her, steering in the opposite direction from her house.
“Does this road make a big loop around the property?” I ask, glancing out the window.
“That’s right. You can’t get lost as long as you’re on the gravel road. Just follow it, and it’ll always lead you home. Eventually, you’ll have the land memorized like the rest of us,” she replies as we curve deeper into the woods.
Trees surround us on both sides until the sky opens up and reveals a grassy clearing. Mawmaw rolls to a stop in front of a log cabin with a wraparound porch. It’s rustic and charming. In front is an oversized fire pit that crackles with fresh wood. Everyone I adore is gathered around it, chatting and sipping drinks. Seeing my friends mingling with Carlee’s family feels surreal. I glance at her, noticing she wears a similar expression of disbelief.
I smile to myself. More proof that our worlds are colliding.
“Seeing everyone here tells me small-town rumors travel fast,” Mawmaw teases .
“What’s the rumor?” I ask, intrigued.
“That you two came to Merryville to get hitched. I knew it wasn’t just gossip when I saw you two on the porch together.”
“What? That is not why we’re here,” Carlee insists, her cheeks flushed.
Mawmaw looks at her, puzzled. “But you’re getting married tomorrow.”
“Yes, but it wasn’t planned,” Carlee explains, turning to me with a questioning glance. “Or was it?”
“I have nothing to do with this other than sliding that ring on your finger,” I say, glancing at the bracelet tied around our wrists. “Lucky guess from my family.”
Carlee unlocks her phone and types in the website where the blind items are posted. Right at the top, the latest one was uploaded three hours ago.
Blind Item #83
Mr. Playboy Billionaire and his secret girlfriend have escaped to her hometown to get married now that his divorce from that demon was finalized earlier today. He was spotted leaving New York in one of his private jets directly after being seen at the courthouse. His plane was tracked at the airport close to her hometown. He’s not wasting any time to be with this woman. Wedding bells will ring before the weekend ends.
She gasps. “Who posted this?”
“I have no idea,” I say, placing my hand on her thigh and feeling the warmth radiate from her skin. “Don’t worry about it, gorgeous.”
Mawmaw chuckles. “What’s it say?”
Carlee reads it out loud.
“And? Someone must know how serious you two are.” Mawmaw shrugs .
Carlee types my name into her internet browser, and pictures from the night I proposed flood the screen.
Weston Calloway finds love at last.
Weston Calloway’s friends say he’s a new man.
Weston Calloway and his secret girlfriend, Carlee Jolly.
Carlee Jolly … her exes wish they had more chances.
“Great. They’ve contacted my exes. Guess we’re at that stage of this,” she grits out, locking her phone. She leans forward and hugs her grandma tightly. “Thanks for everything, Mawmaw. Good night.”
“You need me to come back and pick y’all up?” she asks.
“Nah, we’ll catch a ride with Lucas or Hudson,” she replies.
Mawmaw rolls down the window to talk to Carlee as she gets out of the car. “Now, y’all don’t stay out too late. I’ll call Judge Robinson and confirm when he can fit you in tomorrow. Last I heard, it was two.”
“Thanks again for everything,” I say, and she smiles wide.
“Thank you,” she responds with a wink. “That’s the happiest I’ve ever seen my Leelee.”
I meet Carlee’s gaze, placing my hand on her back. She glances over at me, and I interlock my fingers with hers.
Mawmaw honks, and Carlee waves.
“My brothers and cousins might try to pull something. They always do when I’m dating someone,” she tells me.
“Noted.”
As we approach, everyone bursts into woo-hoo s and applause.
“Y’all stop,” Carlee says, laughing.
I meet Easton’s eyes, and he smirks before I glance at Lexi. She’s wearing that I told you so smile. Brody sits beside my brother, and on the other side of him is Hudson. My eyes scan over her two brothers, Lucas, and a guy I haven’t met yet.
“Hi. I’m Weston,” I say, giving him a firm shake.
“I’m Jake, but my friends call me JJ. ”
Moments later, Claire Manchester approaches me. “Weston, wow. You still look exactly like that asshole.”
Easton chuckles.
I give her a side hug.
“JJ is my fiancé,” she says proudly.
“And if one more person gets married before us, I’m going to lose it,” JJ tells her.
“Sorry,” Carlee says to him.
Once all introductions are out of the way, we’re handed bottles of the same shit we drank earlier.
“We’ve had enough of this. And by the way, Mawmaw is telling everyone it gives you the shits,” she says to him.
Hudson and Brody howl with laughter.
“It does taste like total shit,” Brody says.
Carlee walks away and grabs us some drinks from inside. I stand by the fire, waiting for her to return.
“There’s something about those Jollys, isn’t there?” Emma says, patting me on the back.
“Both Manchesters in the same vicinity. Have I finally died and gone to hell?” I joke.
Emma snorts as she sits on Hudson’s lap. As I look around, everyone seems happy. No drama. No business conversations. Just living, enjoying a hot fire and open sky. This is freedom.
Carlee returns with a bottle of tequila.
I raise a brow at her and smirk. “Dangerous.”
“Just how I like it,” she says, taking a swig before handing it to me.
“Time to chug,” Matteo tells us.
He stabs a beer can with his key, then cracks it open before shoving it into Carlee’s hand. She gulps it down, and then he does the same for me.
“Fuck, we can’t keep doing that, or we’ll be trashed,” I warn.
She giggles and kisses me. “Live a little. That’s a problem for future us. ”
The large group of my friends and her family sit around the blazing bonfire. Her cousins must’ve worked tirelessly throughout the day to set this up, and I’m genuinely grateful. An hour or two passes as we shoot the shit and hang out. The temperature begins to drop, and Carlee leans against me as we watch the flames.
Laughter echoes off the surrounding trees as country music floats in the background.
“Dance with me,” I say, flashing her a smile.
“I’d love to,” she replies, and we stand.
I take her hand and pull her close. Our bodies sway together as the fire crackles beside us. Sparks fly and flutter into the night sky.
“Did you think it could be like this?” I ask.
I run my fingers through her silky hair, admiring how flawless she is.
“I hoped,” she admits, her green eyes sparkling brightly. A sweet smile graces her lips.
The world around us fades until it’s just the two of us, lost together.
We linger in this embrace, stealing another brief kiss as the song fades into another one.
“Get a room!” Lucas yells, and Brody gives him a high five.
Carlee flips them off and captures my lips with a laugh.
“I called it. I knew they’d get married,” Lexi says to Easton.
Easton pulls her into a kiss. “You were right, darling.”
Billie and Harper can’t stop whispering about something. They both look pissed. My sister’s eyes meet mine, and she smiles, lifting her drink. Harper turns and grins at me. They’re faking it though. Right now, they’re discussing business. Billie is wearing the same expression Easton does when finalizing a deal.
As the song comes to an end, I spin her around, dipping her down and stealing a kiss.
“Don’t let me fall.” She giggles.
“Only in love with me,” I say, bringing her back to her feet, then leading her over to where we were sitting .
As soon as I sit and Carlee takes my lap, all eyes are on us.
“What?” Carlee asks, glancing around.
“Anyone going to explain how this happened?” Claire finally inquires. “No one can give me a clear answer, and I don’t have time to piece it together. I need the TL;DR version.”
I chuckle. “You can take the girl out of the corporation, but …”
“Very true,” JJ says with a laugh. It earns him one Manchester glare.
Carlee explains how we met and became friends without divulging any extra details. It takes her a few minutes, and I replay everything that’s happened over the past year. We went from being friends to becoming lovers. As I watch her laugh and talk about us, it’s impossible for me to imagine my life without her. She’s my soulmate.
“After being friends, you just one day randomly decided to date each other?” Claire asks.
“Yeah, basically. I went on a handful of horrible dates and realized I was searching for what I had with Weston,” Carlee says.
I wrap my arms around her.
“It was just easy being with you,” Carlee says, leaning in for a kiss.
Everyone looks at us with awe, even her brothers.
“Make my little cousin cry, and we’ll all fuck you up,” Lucas warns, narrowing his gaze.
“Count us in on that too,” Easton adds, grinning.
“Okay, I’m feeling ganged up on,” I say, biting Carlee’s arm.
Goose bumps trail up her skin—something I’ve always been able to trigger since the beginning.
I hope we never change.
“Everyone is Team Carlee,” she teases.
“So am I,” I admit. “What will you do about it?”
Suddenly, Carlee’s phone buzzes, and she pulls it from her pocket to answer. Clearing her throat, she raises her hand. “ Mawmaw confirmed we’re getting married at two!” She brings it back to her ear, laughing. “Love you too. Bye!”
Her stomach growls loudly, and Claire hears it.
“Are you hungry? We have plenty of food,” Claire offers, standing.
“I’ll be right back,” she says, kissing my hand before following Claire.
Once we’re alone, the guys glare at me.
“Ah.” I smirk. “This is what I was waiting for.”
Lucas stands, crossing his broad arms over his chest. “You’re coming with us.”
“Are we fighting?” I ask, glancing around.
“No,” Matteo states firmly. “We’re not animals.”
Easton snickers and everyone turns to him. “Sorry. Lexi’s brothers made me fistfight them.”
Dean lifts his sleeves. “We can arrange for that.”
“I kinda beat the fuck out of her brother and gave him a concussion,” Easton explains. “I’d probably not do that. Weston has more pent-up anger in his pinkie than I do in my entire body.”
“Thanks,” I say. “Always honest.”
Easton laughs.
Carlee walks onto the porch, noticing her cousins and brothers surrounding me. “Excuse me? What’s going on?”
The screen door slams behind her.
“Weston’s gonna be busy the rest of the night,” JJ says with a sly grin.
“No, he’s not ,” Carlee insists, taking deliberate steps toward us. I think she might fight them all. “He’s coming home with me.”
“I’ll be okay,” I tell her, seeing she’s growing pissed. “It’s just family fun. You know how this goes.”
“Yeah, family fun, Leelee,” Matteo says, wrapping his arm around his sister and leading her back inside, trying to calm her down.
I can’t hear what she’s saying, but she argues the entire way .
I turn to Brody, Matteo, Dean, JJ, Hudson, Lucas, and Easton. “What are we doing?”
Seconds later, I’m being blindfolded. My arms and legs are tied together, and I don’t resist. The seven of them carry me across the pasture. They lift me into the back of a truck, where I lie on my side. I stay calm, trying to focus on the direction we’re driving while trying to guess the speed. I expected something like this, especially after what Easton dealt with when he met Lexi’s brothers. It’s almost like a Southern tradition, an initiation full of hazing to become part of their family.
I’m not sure how much time passes when the truck comes to a stop. I’m lifted from the back and placed face down on the ground, still bound.
“Okay, now what?” I ask.
“Find your way back,” Hudson replies.
“And if I don’t?”
He bends down close to me. “Then you won’t marry my little cousin.”
The truck drives away, leaving me lying on my chest. Carefully, I work my wrists, twisting them to try to undo the knot. It takes every second of ten minutes, but I manage to loosen my hands and remove the blindfold.
It’s well after dark. The moon rises over the horizon, and it illuminates my surroundings. I reach into my pocket, hoping they were stupid and didn’t take my phone, but I’m not that lucky. I close my eyes, recalling the direction of JJ’s house relative to their grandmother’s, which is north. Using the night sky, I locate Polaris.
“They’re fucked.” I grin, both relieved and determined.
After doing some quick math, I calculate I might be two miles from JJ’s house. I look for the smoke from the fire, but I can’t see anything in that direction over the tree line.
Easton and Brody must have known dropping me in a random pasture wouldn’t work. In my twenties, I’d go backcountry backpacking every summer in Europe. I’ve hiked some of the most dangerous trails in the world alone, and Merryville is a joke in comparison. They should’ve tried harder—much harder.
I set off at a steady pace, the earth crunching beneath my shoes. Time becomes fluid as I walk, kept only by the gradual shift of constellations overhead.
Suddenly, the landscape changes.
Rows upon rows of Christmas trees materialize, their silhouettes stretching endlessly into the darkness. The branches rustle gently in the breeze. I can feel the bracelet on my wrist—a gentle reminder of my gorgeous girl. As soon as I make it back to Jake’s, we’re leaving. I want to take a shower and give her the queen treatment before tomorrow.
If I can make it to the main gravel road, I’ll follow it to where they are. I cut across the tree farm and navigate through the rows. When I take another step, that’s when I faintly hear my name being called.
“Weston.” The woman’s voice slices through the night, freezing me in my tracks.
Every hair on my body stands on end—a primal response to that familiar tone.
I turn and see a silhouette in the distance, long hair blowing in the breeze.
“I found you. You’ve always loved games.”
Lena.
My blood runs cold as I dart out of her view and hide.
She growls out with annoyance.
What the actual fuck is she doing here?
How did she know I was here?
The blind item.
Adrenaline surges through me as my heart pounds so hard that I can feel it in my temples. I open my hands, forcing myself to relax, knowing I have to stay calm. The trees are like a maze, but I navigate through them, away from her .
The click of a gun being cocked echoes in the night, and it sends a chill down my spine.
She came here to finish what her hit man couldn’t do last year after I filed for divorce. I should’ve known she’d seek her revenge once it was finalized.
“It’s so sad that your little fiancée will find you bleeding out on her family’s Christmas tree farm tomorrow. Actually, it might take them a few days to find your body.” Lena’s voice drips with mock sympathy.
I stay silent.
“I followed Easton here. I fucking knew that wasn’t you at the courthouse today. That was your second mistake. The first one was divorcing me.”
Her footsteps crunch against the walking path.
“It’s time to end this,” she screams. The fury in her voice is undeniable.
My muscles tense; I’m ready to spring into action at any point. I close my eyes tight, and the only person that comes to mind is Carlee. I have to escape this because an entire future waits for me. I focus, refusing to be manipulated by Lena. She knows my triggers and uses them against me. Carlee made me realize that.
“I’ll never let you go, Weston. As long as you’re alive, I’ll always be watching you and that little bitch. Gotta give it to you—she’s very pretty. I can’t help but notice that she’s nothing like me.” A gust of wind carries Lena’s voice.
My heart nearly stops. The thought of never seeing Carlee again is too much. Not surviving Lena isn’t an option.
“Then again, you’ll make her miserable too. Like you do to everyone in your life. Eventually, the spark will fade from her eyes, and she’ll be nothing but an empty shell. And when you see it, you can blame yourself. Or maybe I’ll track her down after I take care of you,” she mutters.
My jaw clenches, and I remind myself that she’s baiting me. She’s trying to get under my skin so I’ll reveal myself .
Fuck that. Fuck her.
One thing about my ex: she’s never been the smartest. She’s always allowed her emotions to control her. Right now is a great example.
My jaw clenches hard.
“Weston,” Lena coos in that sickeningly sweet voice. “Until death do us part. That’s what you said, wasn’t it?”
I ball my fists tightly at my sides. My fingernails dig into my palms.
She moves closer. She’s less than a few feet away.
My breathing slows, and I know it’s my life or hers.
Just as I’m ready to pounce, a dark figure explodes from the shadows. In one fluid motion, he grips Lena by the throat. Her startled yelp echoes through the night as she stumbles forward. Her eyes meet mine, and I see moonlight glint off the metal of the gun. She points it directly at me, and I lunge out of the way as a shot rings out.
The sound is deafening.
I get up as the two of them fight desperately for survival. Grunts and cries release from them as they struggle for control. Lena fights with a ruthless intensity.
The gun lies just out of reach.
I sprint forward.
As I close the distance, I know those broad shoulders.
Brody.
I dive forward.
The three of us reach for the gun.
A shot rings out.
I see blood.