Chapter 26 That Happy Ending in Summer
That Happy Ending in Summer
Callan
My life was too perfect.
I got my girl. The extra slice of chocolate cake Erin had sneaked into my lunch cooler was still sweet on my tongue, and the memory of the early morning wakeup call of her mouth on my cock—bloody hell.
If that wasn’t enough, I got the farm, too.
What I hadn’t done was drag my sorry ass to church with Mim, and now, I was going to pay the price.
That was the only explanation I’d come up with for why Bronte was waiting for me in the visitor’s car park at the bottom of the property.
“Well,” I said. “What’s the big emergency?”
Swiping my wrist over my brow to flick off the sweat, I scanned the crowd milling around the farm shop.
Summer had welcomed back the tourists, and a steady stream of people waited to pay for a bucket to pick berries.
Even more relaxed in the shade by the playground, eating ice cream or enjoying a coffee out of the heat.
No one looked pissed off. Everyone looked happy.
What the hell was going on?
Bronte jerked her head at the shop. “Look.”
I did nothing but frown.
“Look at your lover.”
I put my hand on my hip and steadied a warning glare on her. “Bron.”
“Quit playing dumb with me. I know Erin’s living in the house.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “And sleeping in your bedroom, I might add.”
“You called me away from a hundred workers to tell me what I already know?”
“Calm down, lover boy. Just look at Erin for a second, will you?”
Sighing, I searched for the familiar sight of Erin perfectly filling out her pink polo top and denim skirt. Where was she? I squinted into the sun. I smiled. There she was. She was showing a couple the preserves on the shelf.
“She looks like she’s handling it okay,” I said with a shrug.
“Okay?” Bronte’s mouth dropped open. “Everyone loves her.”
“Well, yeah…” My smile turned a little dopey. “What’s not to love?”
Bronte rolled her eyes. “I liked you better when you weren’t so gross.
But I forgive you because your girl is killing it.
Sales are up. She’s basically managing all the staff, and she’s training two of the local teenagers to take on extra shifts.
” She sidled closer with a sly smile. “Have you given any more thought to my big idea?”
“No.”
“But Erin would be perfect!”
“No.”
“Cal!”
I sighed. “I already hate that Erin feels like she has to help out in the shop. She still refuses to let me pay her.”
“Because she’s family.”
Hearing that made my heart swell, but not enough to drop my guard. “I’m not adding any more work to Erin’s list. Maybe she wants to go back to working in human resources or something?”
Bronte snorted. “As if. Do you talk to your lover at all after you’ve finished bumping uglies? She hated that job.” My sister decided that was the perfect time to completely disregard what I wanted and flap her hand in an exaggerated wave. “Hey! Erin!”
“What the hell are you doing?” I hissed.
“I’m going to suggest my brilliant idea to Erin to see if she shoots me down.”
“No, I don’t want—”
“Hey!” Erin sauntered over, wearing a huge smile. “What’s going on?”
“Oh, nothing.” Bronte grinned.
I dragged the heel of my palm over my brow. As subtle as a sledgehammer, that one. “Hey,” I said to Erin. “I’m going to bend over to kiss your cheek because”—I held up soiled hands—“I was called down here on a made-up emergency and haven’t had a chance to clean up yet.”
She smirked and arched on her tiptoes. “I don’t mind my rugged man.” A kiss landed on my lips. “But thank you. What’s the emergency?”
Bronte’s smiling face wedged between us. “Cal and I were just talking about the accommodation manager job.”
“Any takers yet?” Erin’s hand rested on my back. I loved how she was always trying to be close to me.
“I think I’ve found the perfect candidate,” Bronte said.
“Guys, that’s great! Someone local?”
“Yeah, they live super close.” Bronte grinned. “Ta da!” With a grand flourish, she swept her arms wide, pointing at Erin.
“Who?” Erin’s head whipped around. “Wait.” She pointed at her chest. “Me?”
“Yeah!”
Erin stared at me, confused. “What the hell do I know about running cottage accommodation?”
“You have real estate experience,” Bronte said.
Erin’s eyes widened. “I answered phones on reception for a few weeks when I was eighteen!”
Bronte ignored that. She had a hundred other reasons she was prepared to bullshit about. “You have amazing experience helping people.”
“I worked in corporate HR at a law firm…” Erin grimaced. “I didn’t exactly get to help many people… I feel like I spent more time covering ass for the leadership team than making anyone’s life better.”
“Er, well…” Bronte’s eyes brightened. “You loved my binder.”
“That binder is a work of art.”
“It’s got twenty extra pages now, you know.”
“Yes! Did you include that section on—”
“Ladies,” I interrupted. “Let’s move beyond the binder.” I’d opened enough bottles of wine for the two of them to pore over how-to pages and photos about running the cottages.
Bronte grinned at Erin. “Most importantly, you love this place as much as we do. You’re part of it now. Part of us.” She laughed. “And maybe you’re not officially a Wolcott just yet, but I have a feeling my brother is counting down the days to fix that.”
“Bron!” I hissed.
She leaned over and whispered to Erin, “Spoiler alert: Cal has a calendar marked with a love heart in his office with the date you can file for divorce.”
“Fucking hell,” I snapped.
Erin faked a gasp and swatted my arm. Channeling her best Matilda, she said, “That’s a no-no word!” before peeling into a laugh.
“Sorry,” I grumbled. “But Ez… would you really want this job? Not just because Bron talked you into it… or because you feel like you owe us… or out of guilt. You’d really want to check on listings and organize cleaners and walk down with me to drop off sheets and towels and get up early to pack breakfast baskets? ”
Erin nodded. “I really would.”
“What about your career and—”
Her lips landed on mine. She wanted me to shut up. Kisses were a way of showing how she felt if she couldn’t say the words—or if I wasn’t listening. That was her way of giving me a definite yes.
No one driving past the farm could have missed the jumping castle. Pink turrets and faux purple-brick walls dominated the hillside winding up to the house. My father had gone completely overboard for Matilda’s third birthday party.
After tugging on one of the ropes to make sure it was still safely anchored to the ground, he stood back and rubbed a weathered hand over his chin. “It’s a bit bigger than I thought it’d be,” he said. “The kids don’t seem to mind, though.”
No, there were definitely no complaints from the thirty kids racing around on the grass. Laughter weaved in between the music flooding the valley. Everyone was having a great time.
Matilda was in her element. She had fun shaking everyone’s hand as they arrived at her party, and she twirled around to show off her new princess dress and plastic tiara. Erin had tried to convince her to wear her sandals, but Matilda stuck her nose in the air.
“Matilda wear pink boots,” the birthday girl had sniffed indignantly.
Now, she sat on a little wooden box in the petting zoo that had been set up, a grimace on her face and a squealing piglet in her lap.
“Matilda gentle,” she told me.
I crouched in front of her. “Do you like holding the little piggie?”
“He wiggly.”
“A bit like you, huh?” I tickled her belly, and she giggled.
If Matilda were a princess, Erin would be an angel. My girl. She stood at the center of a group of mums from dance class, the afternoon sun a halo around the waves curled into her hair, the hem of her shimmery pink dress twisting in the wind. Her eyes caught mine. A big smile followed.
I flattened my palm over my heart. It didn’t matter how many times I looked at Erin.
My breath always stuck in my lungs, and a familiar rush of heat prickled up my neck.
I peeled my hand off my thumping heart and waved to her.
But I didn’t head over. I weaved through the crowd and headed in the opposite direction.
A car had just pulled up at the bottom of the hill—the last person to arrive—and I had something to say to him.
I passed Mim and Bronte on my way down. They were still arguing at the food tables.
They only stopped bickering long enough to pour a drink or to pass out plates for people wanting to help themselves to the mountain of barbecue.
A pile of presents covered the little table off to the side.
Matilda would be opening gifts for hours.
The biggest one so far—a new camper for her growing critter collection—was from me.
A bigger one was coming.
Jeremy was heading toward me. Purple spotted paper and a white ribbon covered the present tucked under his arm.
I cocked my head. Something was off about him.
His steps were slower. He was dressed fancy, sure, but his arrogant swagger was more of a shuffle.
Heavy purple circles bruised under his eyes.
As he got closer, I said, “Big night last night?”
His lip curled into a sneer. “That’s none of your fucking business, Cal.”
Frowning, I closed the distance between us. His spine stiffened. No real strength to back up his words, huh? “Watch your mouth,” I said. “You should be thanking the Lord above you were invited at all.”
“It’s my daughter’s birthday.”
“And don’t you forget it. If you carry on like a prick, I’ll be waiting for you when you leave. I know more than a few places on this farm where Erin won’t see me giving you a good talking to if you even think about ruining Matilda’s party.”
“Grow a backbone, did you?” Jeremy tugged the lapel of his sports coat into line. “Bravo.” He stalked past me up the hill.
Matilda was too busy patiently sitting for the face painter to transform her into a pirate princess to notice her father slithering in Erin’s direction.
I forced down a few breaths. Stay put. Erin can handle this. But I couldn’t just stand around. Jeremy had already cornered Erin away from her friends. Every conversation had to be on his terms. I walked closer to overhear whatever lies he was spewing this time.
“Erin, I can’t live with you…” A mournful tone swelled in his voice. “Please, beautiful. I’ll do anything.”
Her gaze drifted over his shoulder. She found me hovering in the background and rolled her eyes. None of his pitiful speech was working on her. “Jeremy, I’ve told you a hundred times. I’m going ahead with the divorce. I’m in love with Cal. We’re living together—”
“Fuck Cal. We’re a family. You, me, and Matilda. The only thing I want is for us to be back together. Please, Erin.” He drove a hand through his hair and exhaled a shuddered breath. “I need you on my side right now.”
She tilted her head. “Oh?”
“The medical board’s up my ass. I’m being investigated for, well…
Look, it’s all bullshit. Erin, you know what I sacrificed to get us where we are.
You stood by me so we could have this life.
” He reached out to touch her but never got the chance.
She sidestepped away from him. “I know I wouldn’t have made it this far without you. You’re my strength. I need you.”
Erin knew exactly why he was being investigated. She was the one who reported him—anonymously—but she didn’t throw it in his face.
“There was a time I would’ve fought for you,” she said. “I would’ve done anything… sacrificed everything… All you needed to do was love me.” Sadness pulled her smile down. “You couldn’t even do that.”
“Erin, I…”
“It’s okay. I’ve moved on. I’m so happy now. I didn’t even know I could be this happy. And, hey”—her smile brightened—“you’re here. Matilda will be thrilled you came down for her birthday party, and she’s going to love opening her present.”
“But… but…”
Erin pushed forward, the edge of her shoulder knocking square into his arm as she flounced past. Her hair flicked in the breeze, and that shimmery dress sparkled around her thighs as she barreled into me. I was about to say, “Hey,” but her lips were on me. Kissing was more important right now.
“I was beginning to think you were avoiding me,” she said.
I shook my head. “I was doing the rounds… chatting to the other dads… pretending I was useful at the petting zoo.”
“Was Matilda having the best time ever?”
“Other than being attached to those gumboots, I reckon she’s more princess than farmer.”
Erin grinned. “You might be right.” She pecked a kiss on my jaw. “Thanks for making today so special.”
“It was a family effort. And I needed the practice. I figure I’ve got a few more parties heading my way. Matilda’s birthdays… Our wedding…” I hadn’t asked yet, but Bronte had put Erin on notice my proposal was coming. “And maybe… one day…”
Another little one in the mix. Or a couple. We had time to figure that out. Right now, my heart was soaring over the valley, overwhelmed by where life was taking me.
No, not just me.
Us.
I swiped at the water pooling in the crease of my eyes.
Her hand found my cheek. “Cal…?”
“Aw, get on with you.” I ducked my head and scrubbed my palm over my eyes. “Don’t look at me getting all emotional. Head back to your friends and have fun.”
“You sure?”
“You know I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it.” I tapped her on the rump. “Go on, then.”
Erin floated back to the circle of women waiting for her, twisting around to give me a magic smile and a wave before losing herself in whatever conversations had the mums huddled together for hours.
I loved seeing her head tip back when she laughed.
She was happy with her life here. Not pretend happy.
No brave face. Just…happy. I was part of that.
I wasn’t the only one who noticed.
Jeremy’s eyes were locked on Erin, too.
I understood the devastation darkening his face better than anyone.
For years, I’d watched helplessly while she lived her big city life with nothing to cling to but the impossible hope that one day she’d wake up beside me instead of him.
Erin was gorgeous on my arm, sure, and our bedroom was like a bus rocking off its wheels.
None of that compared to knowing she’d be there for me when life upended everything.
How could Jeremy have missed that? Why didn’t he cherish her? She made it so damn easy. But I didn’t feel sorry for him. He’d proven a hundred times over that he never deserved her.
Did I? Maybe not.
But I’d spend the rest of my life trying my hardest to show Erin how much I loved her. She was worth it.