Chapter 32
CHAPTER 32
JULY
S ince Cal wasn’t a big fan of fireworks—for a kid that ignored his inside voice all the time, he was sensitive to most loud noises—they never really did anything for the Fourth of July. In New York, the three Ames men would lock themselves up in the house and watch whatever movie his son was obsessed with that year and ignore the world. So obviously he hadn’t planned anything for their first Fourth with Daisy.
However, someone else had scheduled them in for some fun.
It was a lazy Sunday morning and Cal, Daisy, Boots and Rafferty were lounging in the backyard of the Ames house when Gavin and Ginny arrived with an invitation. To join the gang in Bethany Beach for the long weekend. He was ready to politely refuse, when his son jumped to his feet and peppered the couple with questions and agreed on behalf of everyone else.
And that was it.
They were at the beach with ‘the gang’.
When they drove up with everyone else two days ago, Rafferty had been overwhelmed by the number of people he was meeting. Louise had been reminding him in every session that he needed to make friends. Apparently Daisy, Mack, Monroe and Wyatt weren’t enough, and not even Bronte could count as a friend because she helped him out with Cal in the beginning. So she’d be proud at how many new friends he was making.
Since he already knew Gavin and Ginny, albeit briefly, they introduced him to everyone else. There was Oleander and Jackson, both in Star Wars -themed clothes that got his son excited. Cal even challenged Jackson to a lightsaber battle when they returned to Wildes. He met the newlyweds, Frankie and Milo, and was most unprepared for her flirtatious comments that followed—“You look like you could bench press me without any trouble.”
Everleigh and Lachlan were apparently big fans of the Patch, which automatically made them people he liked. He also met Clementine and Oakley. He’d met the chef during a visit to her bakery and knew all about her partner thanks to the meddling Daisy and Ginny had done a few months ago.
He stood there, soaking it all in while everyone settled into the house. That was a whole other thing he needed to process. It was a large beach house with ten bedrooms and even more bathrooms. He followed Daisy inside and found two spacious kitchens, a dining-cum-living room that had French doors leading onto a wraparound porch. A pool the length of the house was beyond that, with stairs leading directly to the beach.
Once they were settled in their room—Cal got his own, much smaller room—he turned to his girl and shook his head.
“Your friends are…something.”
She laughed and tugged him into the king bed. “I’m glad you got to meet them though. I spend more time with Ginny and Clem, but the others are really great too.”
“Does one of them own this house?”
“Ginny said something about a bride they worked with renting the space out.”
He nodded and lay down beside her. “I can’t believe you know so many people.”
“Is it too much?”
“No.” He made a face and shrugged. “I know I need more friends, but I wasn’t expecting this.”
“Truthfully, I wasn’t either. I hang out with them in smaller groups and doses. But we don’t have to socialize all the time, okay?”
“I’m glad to be here with you, Daze.”
She kissed him and smiled. “Me too.”
Since everyone already knew each other and Rafferty was the new one, the first day was spent getting to know him. He expected an intense interrogation, so he was fully prepared. Cal was probably the most excited and didn’t hold back when he was asked anything and everything. Growing up with only his grandfather and great-grandparents, his son hadn’t really been exposed to other adults. So the attention was overwhelming, but it was very clear that Cal loved every minute of it. Milo and Gavin even included him in the grilling of burgers that night because he’d asked them so many questions and wanted to learn.
To Rafferty, that was a sign of good people.
Cal was young enough that they could have dismissed him as a kid and not included him in any of the celebrations. But it was clear that every single one of them wanted to hang out with him. Jackson even found two staves so they could have a practice lightsaber battle by the pool. Cal got Oakley to draw fake tattoos on his arm, so he could match with Daisy—this made his girl tear up.
The morning of the Fourth, he woke up to find Cal snuggled between him and Daisy in their bed. Even though he was dying to empty his bladder, he stayed in bed to watch them sleep. When he did finally wander downstairs, he discovered that thanks to the late night, everyone was still in bed. But he made coffee and returned to the bedroom as Daisy woke up.
“Hey,” she whispered, tucking the covers around Cal as she slipped out of bed. “I didn’t even know he was here.”
Rafferty kissed her forehead and handed her his cup so they could share. “Neither did I. I think we were so exhausted last night that we slept through it.”
She laughed softly and they stepped out onto the balcony off their room. “Look at this view.”
“When I retire, we can move out here.”
“You’re already thinking about your retirement?”
He shrugged. “Have to stop firefighting at some point, right?”
“Or you could move up the ranks and become a captain or whatever the titles are.”
“And miss out on all of this? Hell no.”
Daisy smiled and leaned against him as they stared out at the waves crashing on the beach. He hadn’t actually ever thought that far ahead, but now that he’d considered it, the idea of moving to a beach town eventually sounded really fucking good.
By the time Cal dragged himself out of bed, the rest of the house was also waking up. Lachlan and Clementine made a huge brunch spread with the help of Oleander and Frankie while everyone else lounged around. His son was already having the time of his life with Oakley and Jackson who were teaching him silly tricks in the pool.
After brunch, which turned out to be way more delicious than he expected, Rafferty enlisted Gavin to help him clean up. It only seemed fair that the chefs take a break while someone else did some of the work.
“I wanted to thank you for inviting us this weekend,” Rafferty said as he rinsed and handed the plates to Gavin.
“No thanks necessary. I’m glad you could make it.”
“Didn’t think I’d have this much fun, if I’m honest.”
Gavin smiled. “We’re a lot, huh?”
“I mean…I didn’t want to say anything, but…” he trailed off and they shared a laugh. “No, but seriously. I appreciate it. This might be Cal’s favorite holiday ever.”
“He’s an amazing kid, man.”
They looked out the large kitchen windows to where his son was now balancing on Milo’s shoulders while wielding the lightsaber against Oleander, who was on Lachlan’s shoulders.
“And technically we’re all still kids in some way or the other.”
Rafferty smiled at that, shaking his head as they finished up. “I mean, compared to me, most of you are kids.”
Gavin laughed and patted him on the back before leaving. He’d never really given his age much thought before, but Jackson, Milo, Gavin and Everleigh were in their late twenties. While they didn’t behave immaturely or make him feel old, it was evident in certain things that they did.
“How long does it take to do the dishes, Daddy?”
Rafferty glanced over his shoulder and found Daisy with her hands on her hips and a smile on her face. She’d changed out of her T-shirt and sweats combo from earlier into a one piece black swimsuit that hugged her curves.
“Jesus, look at you,” he mumbled, wiping his hands as he came around the counter to look her over. Her right shoulder was exposed, while the other was covered in the black stretchy material. At her waist, there were two thick sheer bands that revealed her stomach. Her hip tattoo was on display, as was the floral sleeve and the combination of all those colors against the black of her suit was incredible.
“You like?” She did a slow spin and he stared at her delectable ass before she was facing him again.
“Can you wear this always and nothing else?”
“I’m sure it’ll be really uncomfortable in the long term.”
He shook his head. “It’s this or nothing, darlin’. Make your choice.”
“Looks like you’re shit out of luck, because I pick a third option.” She patted his chest and smiled. “Now, go change so you can have some fun with your son.”
“Yes ma’am.” He stole a kiss and copped a feel before hurrying upstairs to change into his simple black board shorts.
They spent most of the afternoon in or by the pool, playing games and lounging around. Every now and then, couples would find quiet corners or vanish into the house, but he noticed that everyone spent lots of time together irrespective. Rafferty also noticed how relaxed Daisy was when surrounded by her people, how her shoulders were lowered and her eyes were bright every time she took her sunglasses off. Not to mention how often she and Cal would sit together on the same lounger, both of them drying off after playing in the pool.
As for him? He was bonding with all the men. It felt good to be around people who didn’t know his history or care about it, because all they wanted to know was what he did now and what being a firefighter was like. He was worried that the connection would be surface-level, but they let him in on all the inside jokes and made new ones at his expense. Mostly, they were a good group of people. His contact list had increased by ten and it pleased him.
The women had gone back into the house, after loud announcements about refilling the jugs of booze they’d made earlier. He knew better, as did his new friends, because all of them went uh huh before cracking up as the ladies vanished out of sight. Cal was in the shallow end of the pool with Lachlan, who was attempting to teach him how to do a handstand. Jackson, Milo and Gavin were in large inflatable animals, either asleep or drifting into the land of nod. Oakley was sitting at one end with his feet in the water, while he doodled in his notebook, something he’d been doing quite often that trip.
Smiling at how content everyone looked, including his son, Rafferty hoisted himself out of the pool and grabbed a towel. He could hear muffled conversation as he headed to the kitchen door and paused when he realized they were talking about him. Well, the women were interrogating Daisy about him.
“How’s the sex?” someone asked, making everyone else gasp.
He took that as his cue and stepped inside. “It’s fantastic, thanks for asking,” he said, drying his hair before draping the towel around his neck. They spun to face him and he saw Daisy’s cheeks turn pink as he smirked. “Wanna go for that walk, sweetheart?”
“Yeah. I’ll get my hat and cover-up and meet you out back.” She walked over with a silly smile and kissed him before going to get her things.
Turning to her friends, he smiled. “Thanks for inviting us this weekend. Cal’s never had aunts or uncles and he’s loving the attention.”
Frankie laughed, waving him off. “You’re Daisy’s family, that makes you part of ours too. And we’re glad you two could make it, everything feels complete now.”
Family . He’d grown up with the best family in the world, so he wasn’t lacking that. But to be Daisy’s family and to be so easily welcomed into this one? He was speechless, but he offered them quick nods of appreciation and walked out. With his heart and soul full, he picked his shirt off the lounger and put his cap on as Daisy joined him holding her large sunhat.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, noticing the wetness on her cheeks.
“They called you my family.” The words came out softly.
“That’s what we are, Hero. You, me and Cal, we’re a family.”
She nodded and he drew her towards him. “It felt so good hearing someone else say it.”
His lips brushed against her forehead. “It did feel good. I’m so grateful that your friends are incredible and caring.”
“They’re the best.”
After a quick press of lips, he took her hand and started around the pool. Now, Cal was on Oakley’s shoulders while the other men looked like they were defending the net. His son was laughing loudly, the joy on his face so beautiful that it took his breath away. He threw the ball and it hit the back of the net before falling into the water. The guys groaned and cheered as Cal turned to them with a wide grin.
“I’m winning! Did you see that goal, ma—Daisy?”
He felt her tense beside him before she nodded, pride replacing shock on her face. “I did and you’re so good.”
Oblivious to what his slip-up did to her, Cal returned to the game as the ball landed in his hands.
“I got you,” Rafferty whispered, rubbing her back. “Just breathe.”
She nodded, leaning into him as her breath came in slow bursts before she finally relaxed. “I’m okay.”
“We’ll talk to him tonight, if you want.”
“It was a slip and it’s fine.” She shook it off and frowned when he didn’t budge. “You’d be okay with him calling me that?”
“Yes,” he said simply.
“Raff.”
“You love him like he’s your own, darlin’. He loves you the same. You and me, we’re in this, yeah?” At her nod, he grinned and tapped the tip of her nose. “Then so is he. Cal and I are yours, just like you are ours.”
“Yours,” she whispered.
“ Yours ,” he echoed.
While their friends continued to play with his son and make tons of noise, the two of them walked along the beach. That morning, Daisy had suggested they escape for a stroll before the fireworks and he had no reason to refuse her. It felt good, the two of them enjoying a quiet moment as they listened to the waves crashing against the beach and their toes sank into the sand.
He could tell that she was distracted by the way she chewed on her lip and frowned as she kept looking out at the water.
“What’s on your mind, Daze?”
“Thinking about how lucky I am.” He arched an eyebrow and she continued. “I’ve got an incredible group of friends who are so amazing that every single day, I thank whoever put them into my life. Then there’s you.”
“Here I am.”
Chuckling, she swung their arms back and forth. “When we were kids, you were everything to me. The day I realized that I was in love with you, I was so afraid of what that would mean if you knew.” She sighed softly and he tugged her to a stop. “It was easy to love you then. It’s easier this time. We might be older, our lives and experiences might have made us into the people we are today. But, at the heart of it, you’re still my first love and I am so happy that fate pushed us back together.”
Even now, he was amazed that he hadn’t noticed the way she felt about him before. Especially since he’d been battling his own feelings for her. When her head tilted to the side, Rafferty realized he’d been staring at her. So he cupped her face in both hands and leaned in, grunting when their hats bumped and stalled his movement.
“Fucking sun protection, getting in the way of my romantic move,” he grumbled and tore off her hat with one hand while flipping his around with the other. Then his mouth was on hers, arms sliding around her waist to hold her against him.
It wasn’t even a particularly hot and filthy kiss, but it was perfect. He slowed the kiss and pressed his forehead against hers.
“I’m thankful that I was brought to you too. You’re the love of my life, Daisy. That was the case when I was nineteen and has never changed even after all these years.”
“Not even your ex?” He heard the doubt in her voice.
“It was nothing like this. She gave me the greatest gift of my life, but what I felt for her was not even close.”
“What is this like?”
With a soft chuckle, he pushed her hair behind her ears and set the hat back on her head, shading her eyes. “Greedy for praise, aren’t you?”
She smirked, eyes still fixed on him. “Only if it comes from you.”
“ This is the real deal. The kind of love that they write songs about, the ones that inspire poetry and tales that nobody ever believes. It’s so deep in your marrow that nobody else could ever replace it. It’s the kind of love that makes you shake when you’re apart, makes you feel like you’re missing a limb. The kind of love that burns you up from the inside when you’re standing too close, like you’re near the sun. And with you, Daisy, I want to be Icarus flying too close to the sun because it’d be worth it to get my wings singed so I could be with you.”
“Are you still calling me dangerous, hotshot?” she asked, voice husky as they stared at each other.
“Yes. And I’m the guy that runs into the burning building every single time. But you are exactly the kind of danger I’ve been waiting for.”
There was a flicker of something in her eyes before Daisy launched herself at him, arms and legs wrapping around him. He laughed and grabbed her hips, holding her steady against him.
“You’re the love of my life too, Raff.”
“I know,” he whispered and kissed her, his hands on her ass.
This was exactly what his life was meant to be like—a kid he loved and was so proud of, a woman that filled him with joy and gratitude every single day, and a group of new friends that welcomed him into their fold without a single moment of hesitation.
Who knew moving to a small town would make all of that come true.