30. Charlie
Chapter 30
Charlie
“Charlie! What do you mean you were in a car accident? Are you alright, honey? What happened?” My mother’s shrill voice sang down the line as Deacon drove us home.
“Mom, calm down. I’m fine.”
“Fine?! How can you be fine if you were just released from the hospital?”
I looked at Deacon who gave me a sympathetic shrug of his shoulders. When I’d woken up, he’d told me that his plan was to give me one more day to wake up before he called my parents. He said he didn’t know how to tell them about the accident and hoped he wouldn’t have to explain that I was officially in a coma.
One day shy. That’s how close it had been.
Any longer and my brain injury would have been classified as a coma.
I couldn’t shake the shiver that ran down my spine. Especially when my mind wandered to what might have happened if Deacon wouldn’t have found me in my car when he did.
“They wouldn’t have released me from the hospital if I wasn’t fine, Mom.”
There was a momentary pause like that fact made her think. “Just tell us what happened, sweetheart,” my dad chimed in—always the calmer voice of reason when my mom was freaking out.
So, I spent nearly the rest of the ride home explaining the accident and telling them how Deacon pulled me from the car right before it exploded.
“He saved you?” My mother’s voice was barely a whisper. “Again?”
I rolled my eyes as Deacon chuckled.
“Mom, you don’t need to give him a bigger head than he already has.”
When Deacon rose an eyebrow at me, I knew his thoughts had strayed to the gutter. I punched him in the arm, and he feigned pain.
“It sounds like you’ve found quite the catch, sweetheart.”
A smile split my lips. “I think so too, dad.”
“Well, I’m not so sure,” my mom said. “Why didn’t he call us as soon as you were in the hospital?”
“Do you want to answer that one?” I bit my lip trying not to laugh as I brought the phone closer to Deacon.
His hands gripped firmer on the steering wheel as he adjusted himself in the seat. A blush crept up his neck.
He was nervous.
My big tough, grumpy as hell, man was nervous .
I giggled and his eyes narrowed on me again.
“It won’t happen again, ma’am. I can assure you that,” he finally said. I could tell he was holding his breath, waiting for my mother’s response.
The line was quiet, and I knew she was just letting time go by to make him sweat. Dad had always been the softy while my mother was the over-protective dragon who would roar at anyone she thought did wrong by me.
“Let’s just hope there won’t be a next time,” she finally said, and Deacon’s shoulders sagged with relief.
“Agreed.” He nodded even though she couldn’t see him.
“Alright you two, we’re pulling up the Deacon’s place now. I’ll give you a call a little later, okay?”
“Okay, honey! We love you!”
“Love you, sweetheart!”
“Love you too,” I said before tapping the red button on the screen to end the call.
“Well, that went better than I expected.” I let a whoosh of breath out as I gingerly shifted in my seat to face Deacon as he pulled down the gravel driveway. There wasn’t a muscle in my body that didn’t still feel tender, and my head had a dull ache to it, but I was thankful that I got away with moderate injuries. It could have been much, much worse.
“You’re telling me. I thought they were going to get in their car and come steal you away from me.”
I snorted. “It was a smart move not to call them while I was unconscious. I wouldn’t have wanted them to worry for no reason. ”
Deacon’s green eyes slid over to me. “No reason? I hardly call seven stitches to the forehead and a major concussion, no reason.”
“Awe, don’t go all over-protective alpha man on me now. I’m totally fine.” His tires hit a pothole in the road, making my body jostle against the seat belt. “Agh,” I winced as the belt tightened against my ribs.
Deacon slowed down to a snail’s pace, then eyed me again. “Totally fine. Right.” His lips pursed.
I rubbed his forearm and winked at him. “Just a little sore. That’s all.”
“Mmhmm,” he grumbled.
My heart lifted when his house finally came into view. Even though the doctor only made me stay one more night after coming to, I’d missed this place. I couldn’t wait to get inside and see Casper and spend the night snuggled on the sofa in front of a warm fire.
“Stay here,” Deacon said as he put the truck in park. “Let me get the door.”
“Deacon, I can get my own door.” It was my turn to grumble.
“As long as you ride with me, no, you can’t.” Leaning in, he placed a kiss on my temple then got out and headed toward my side. He hadn’t kissed me—truly kissed me—since I’d woken up. I was damn near starving for the man, but I knew we had some things to discuss first.
I just hoped we could get it over quickly so I could jump his bones.
He opened my door and helped me out of the truck .
“Are you okay?” he asked once my feet were firmly on the ground.
He still held onto my forearm though, to steady me. “Yes, thank you.” I looked into his face and wanted so badly to run my lips along his jaw and my fingers through his hair. I just wanted him .
We walked slowly to the front porch and that’s when I noticed something was different. “Oh my gosh!” I gasped. “Deacon, you finished the bench!”
To the right of the door was the wooden bench I’d fallen in love with, but the vine and orchid detailing along the back was complete and the entire piece had been stained. It was the most beautiful piece of woodwork I’d ever seen.
As I moved closer toward it to take in all the fine details, Deacon said, “I know how much you liked it. I wanted you to have something nice to come home to.”
Come home to .
My stomach tightened as I turned around to face him. Home . I wondered if he understood the impact his words were having on me. The weight they carried in my heart.
“You did this for me?” I swallowed the knot in my throat. He stepped so close, I had to tilt my head back to look up at him.
My eyes fluttered closed when his knuckles ran down my cheek and his thumb brushed along the edge of my jaw. I could live a thousand lifetimes, and it would mean nothing if I never got to feel his touch again.
When I opened my eyes, I saw something shift in his gaze. Recognition, perhaps, of exactly what his touch did to me.
“Seeing you in that hospital bed wrecked me, Sunshine. I… I almost lost it. Finishing the bench was for you, yes, but I think I needed something to put my energy into. I thought that if I had something waiting for you… I don’t know. It sounds stupid now, but I thought it might help bring you back to me.”
Rising to my tip toes, I kissed his cheek. “I think it worked, Grumps.”
He huffed a breath before sliding his arms around my waist, pulling me close. “Can we get a new nickname for me?”
“Mmm,” I hummed, then shook my head. “No.”
He scoffed. “No? When we start going out and seeing people in town, I don’t want them to think I’m some asshole.”
Stepping out of his embrace, my hand slid down his arm until I reached his hand. Our fingers intertwined and I led him to the front door. “No one will think you’re an asshole just because I call you Grumps. You’ve been in Pebble Brook Falls for a long time, Deacon. I’m pretty sure everyone already knows the kind of man you are.”
He tugged on my hand, whirling me around in a circle until I landed against his chest. There was nothing but pure affection in his eyes as he gripped my chin between his thumb and forefinger. “And what kind of man am I?”
“Fishing for compliments?”
“Only from the woman I love. ”
I stopped moving. My heartbeat soared to an unimaginable rate as my gaze danced back and forth between those pine green eyes that were now sparkling with joy.
“You love me?”
“I know that we still have a lot to figure out together, Charlie, but…” He exhaled a long breath, and I knew his thoughts had strayed to the accident. A shiver ran down my spine as a fiery image watered my vision. “I didn’t want to wait another second without you knowing how I feel about you.”
His face came into full view, and I was wrecked. Completely and totally destroyed by the beauty of him. Yes, he was the most handsome man I’d ever seen with his strong jaw, inky black hair and irises so green they reminded me of the warmth of summer in the dead of winter.
But there was more. Lingering beneath the surface. Deacon had spent his entire adult life sacrificing himself—his own safety—for others. He’d saved my life, on more than one occasion now. While there was darkness in his past, I knew he was trying. He was trying for me .
Rising onto my tip toes, I ran my hands over the top of his head until my forearms draped over his shoulders. Then, I looked into those unworldly eyes and said, “I love you too.”
His entire body shuddered against mine, like he was shedding his demons right before my eyes. And when he brought his lips to mine there was no more reservation. No more uncertainty simmering beneath the surface. He was mine. Completely mine.
The kiss was gentle—achingly tender. Like we had all the time in the world to explore one another.
“Say it again.” His words were a whisper over my mouth.
I smiled. “I love you.”
The moan that escaped him as he brought me closer had my toes curling in my boots.
“I love you,” I said again before claiming his lips with mine.
His hands dove into my hair as I ran my tongue along the edge of his bottom lip. I wanted to taste every single part of him. Not leaving a single stone unturned. When his tongue met mine, I hummed into his mouth. He was so warm and tasted so good.
“I want you, Deacon. Right now.”
Tck, tck, tck.
We both looked behind me and saw Casper’s furry little face peeking out through the blinds next to Deacon’s front door.
“Having me might have to wait a little longer, Sunshine.”
“Casper!” I whirled around to look at Deacon again. Not a single edge of shadows haunted his face. He beamed at me, in all his glory.
“Come on, let’s go see the little rascal.” Deacon led me inside where Casper was meowing louder than I’d ever heard him meow before.
Kneeling to the floor, tears filled my eyes as he hopped into my lap and started giving me head bumps.
“Hi, buddy. I missed you so much!” He sounded like a little motorboat when I brought him into my arms and snuggled him close.
“We had a pretty good time together,” Deacon said as he knelt beside us. “But there’s nothing quite like having you back home.”
There was that word again. Home .
He said it like I wasn’t supposed to move back into the tiny cabin. He said it like I was meant to be here, in his house with him. Forever.
It made my heart stumble as I looked at him. There were so many things we needed to discuss. But they could all wait. I’d made it back safely and I had both of my boys by my side.
Deacon got a fire going in the hearth. It still amazed me how much I loved sitting by a crackling fireplace after having nearly died twice by fire.
I guessed there was just something different about my brain. Something that allowed me to move on quickly and I was thankful for that because this was exactly where I wanted to be. Snuggled up close to Deacon on the couch with Casper by our feet. The flames cast shadowed light over the dark living room, and it was perfect.
But I was about to ruin it.
“Are you ready to talk about it?” I curled a little closer to Deacon. His gaze shifted from the hearth to me, and he nodded.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I hesitated. Not wanting to disturb the peace we’d found together. But I also knew this was something we needed to talk about so we could leave it behind us.
He looked at me expectantly. I could tell he wanted me to start us off.
“I could hear you. When I was asleep. Not everything came through clearly, but I knew that you were telling me about your fallen brothers. I could… feel your words like a warm light dancing along my skin.”
Deacon’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he sat up a little straighter. “I’d heard about it once. How talking to people while they’re unconscious can help stimulate their brains. Much like playing music or talking to a baby in the womb. When I saw you in that hospital bed, I knew the only way I could bring you back to me was to let my walls down. I needed to change everything I was before. I needed to be better for you.”
I placed my hand over his and rubbed my thumb along his skin.
“You’re the first person I’ve ever told about them.”
My heart swelled with his admission. This was a huge step for Deacon. I knew that. And somehow, it felt like a step we were always meant to take together. Sharing the darkest parts of ourselves. The worries and fears that gripped us so strongly, we had to pull away for them to let go of us.
“I want you to know that I will always walk by your side, Deacon. No matter what darkness you face, I will be right there with you.”
He brought his forehead to mine. “I know that now. For so long I thought I had to carry the burden by myself. But you’ve shown me that it’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to let someone in.”
Tears welled in my eyes. I grazed his lips with mine in a feather-light kiss. “I’m so glad you let me in. This”—I placed my hand over his heart—“is where I want to be. Always.”
Reaching up, he placed his hand over mine then threaded his fingers through my hair and pulled me into a kiss that had my entire body tingling. His tongue moved over the seam of my lips. I let him in, relishing in the warmth that flooded my lower stomach.
“You saved me, Charlie,” he whispered.
I looked into those mesmerizing eyes, knowing a lifetime of gazing into them wouldn’t be enough. “We saved each other.”